Clemon Tripp, Sr.

Chief Avionics Electrician Clemon Warren Tripp Sr., United States Navy retired, age 93, of Gainesville, FL passed on Monday, June 5, 2017, at Hospice of Jacksonville, FL, and joined his Heavenly Father. He was born August 8, 1923 in Ahoskie, NC to Jesse B. Tripp and Lanie Lee Tripp.

Warren enlisted in the Navy in 1941, and served until he was honorably discharged and retired from Naval service in 1968. He fought in three wars – WWII, Korea, and Vietnam – and earned the Combat Action Unit Citation, WWII Victory Medal, and several other campaign and service medals. After Naval retirement his love of aviation drew him to California to work for the flag carrier airline of the state, Pacific Southwest Airlines, where he utilized his FAA airframe and power-plant licensure to keep their fleet safe and flying. To be closer to family he returned to the East Coast, where he would once again earn a deserved retirement from his employment as the senior electrician at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Although no longer attached to aviation in a professional capacity he remarkably continued to fly as a licensed private pilot until the age of 80 years old, and continued to share his love of aviation with his family until his death.  In almost thirty years of retirement he enjoyed re-building vintage cars, volunteering at area hospitals in Gainesville, taking in stray dogs, and cats, staying connected with WWII shipmates he served with in combat aboard the USS Samuel S. Miles (DE-183), but most of all his greatest joy was sharing his love with an adoring family.

Warren was a fiercely independent man, asking favor for himself of no one, yet unsolicitously generous and kind to all, often to someone he barely knew but was aware of their need. Warren was of the greatest generation that fought for and gave us the wonderful country we are blessed to live in today, and for this he has earned enduring gratitude.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers: J. B., Wilton, and Alton. Warren is survived by his sister, Alvaine Conwell; brothers, Lee and Donald Tripp; his son Warren Tripp Jr. and wife, Cay of Jacksonville, FL; daughter, Beverly Tripp Cole and husband, Nathan of Jacksonville, FL; six grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; and a special friend and companion, Dinorah Frank of Gainesville, FL.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 7th in the Chapel of Quinn-Shalz Family Funeral Home in Jacksonville Beach, FL, followed by inurnment at the Jacksonville National Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family would be pleased by contributions to the Gainesville Humane Society and the American Cancer Society.