OBITUARY Richard T. Fippinger May 15, 1938 – August 28, 2018 Richard T. “Dick” Fippinger, 80, of Wethersfield, died August 28, 2018 at Hartford Hospital. Dick was born May 15, 1938 in Hartford, Connecticut. He was the son of Frederick H. and Lucille (Buckley) Fippinger.
Dick was a longtime Wethersfield resident, graduating Wethersfield High School in 1956 and going on to earn an Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees from Boston University in 1960. Dick is predeceased by his loving wife of more than 50 years, Elisabeth H. Fippinger. He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Karl F. and Kimberly C. Fippinger of Manassas, VA; three grandchildren, Liam Patrick, Sean Patrick, and Hailey Elizabeth Fippinger, also of Manassas, VA; a sister, Susan F. Carey of Stuart, Florida; and a brother, Peter J. Fippinger of Leesburg, Florida.
Upon graduating Boston University, “Fipp” as he was called by his friends, served with the 43rd Division, Connecticut Army National Guard. He pursued a career in public relations with several financial institutions and agencies in the Hartford area including the Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company; The Hartford National Bank & Trust Company where he served as advertising manager; and a 17-year career with The Hartford Insurance Group as Director of Product Promotion and Life Insurance Sales. In a second career he worked for the W.E. Andrews Company, Inc. as a commercial printing sales representative.
Dick’s first passion was firefighting. He joined the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department (WFD) in 1961. With over 44 years of service he responded to more than 3,000 alarms and held every line officer’s position in WFD Company #3 including 13 years as first lieutenant and three years as company captain.
When the Company #3 firehouse was expanded in 1976 he served as chairman of the building committee. Later, he was appointed by the fire chief to serve as the department’s first Public Information Officer, a post he held for many years. In this position he was in charge of recruitment and retention where he established the department’s Firefighter Awards and Recognition Program.
He was also proud to have compiled and produced the WFD 200th Anniversary Commemorative Book and an update to the WFD’s history. He researched and directed graphic design of a new department logo featuring the department’s first fire engine, a hand-drawn pump named Neptune No. 1.
Dick was a founding member and past president of the Wethersfield Volunteer Firefighters Association. He was also a life member of the Wethersfield Volunteer Ambulance Association, having served as chairman of the building committee for the expansion of the Wethersfield Ambulance house in 1995. Dick received the Hartford Insurance Good Samaritan Award from the Hartford Fire Department in 1983 for his actions in the rescue of a severely injured passenger pinned in a crashed automobile on Interstate 91 in Hartford.
The Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce recognized him as Public Servant of the Year in 1997. Prior to his retirement from the fire department in 2005 he was appointed as Wethersfield’s Emergency Management Director where he wrote the town’s first formal emergency operations plan, assisted in the training staff members, organized the town’s emergency command center, and served as a disaster assistance coordinator for the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Active in youth sports and boy scouting, Dick was a past head coach for Wethersfield Midget Football; a past head coach for Wethersfield’s George D. Ritchie Soccer League, and a past scoutmaster of BSA Troop 85 at Emerson-Williams Elementary School.
A skilled and passionate writer, Dick published over 50 articles in the town’s newspaper, the Wethersfield Post, where he detailed personal experiences, nostalgic events, and recollections of the 1950’s. He also served for a time as a reporter for the Post and had many of his photographs of local events, fires, and historic places published in both the Post and Wethersfield LIFE. Dick authored the book entitled, “Wethersfield – Before Television Got Serious” which featured nostalgic stories and original paintings by Judy Barrett Jensen, a high school classmate.
He was a 50-year resident of Wells Quarter Village where he was past president of the neighborhood association. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, September 29, at 10 a.m. in the First Church of Christ, 250 Main Street, Wethersfield followed by interment at Village Cemetery, Wethersfield. The family will receive guests at a short reception to be held at the First Church of Christ immediately following interment.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Richard T. Fippinger to the Wethersfield Volunteer Firefighters Association, P.O. Box 290075, Wethersfield, CT 06129. The D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, Wethersfield is assisting the family with arrangements. To share a memory of Dick with his family, please visit www.
desopofuneralchapel.com.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
