John R. Trippe

John was born on April 16, 1942 in Dunkirk, NY and he grew up in Fredonia, NY. He is preceded in death by his late parents George Trippe and Felicia “Phyllis” Laporte Trippe as well as two of his children Roxanne Trippe and John C Trippe. Tragically losing two of his children in separate car accidents were extremely painful events in his life that took terrific strength to overcome. John was always proud of his Italian American heritage that started where he grew up in a picturesque neighborhood in a classic small farm town in the 1940s and 1950s where he developed lifelong best friends known as the “Eagle Street Gang” and they held reunions periodically much later in life to reminisce the good old days. John maintained numerous lifelong close friendships throughout his life.

John is survived by his wife of 33 years Karen Irwin Trippe whom he married April 6, 1991, brother Charles Trippe and his wife Susan Trippe, daughter Jackie Dzuricky of Erie, PA, son Jason Trippe and his wife Kathleen Delaney Trippe both of Fairview, PA, grandson Justin Trippe and his wife Carly Scheck Trippe both of Pittsburgh, PA, and granddaughter Chloe Trippe of Fairview, PA, step-daughter Michele Dudick of Canonsburg, PA, step-daughter Kim Gasper and her husband Phil Gasper with their children Caitlin, Madison, Connor, and Macie of Harborcreek, PA.

After graduation from Fredonia High School in 1961, John applied his lifelong love of electronics and all things electrical and he attended Coyne Electrical Institute in Chicago, IL for two years. He tested out of many of the courses and he worked on more advanced electronics projects. Moving from small farm town America to the third largest city in America in the early 1960’s was quite a shock and amazing experience for John. Throughout his entire life, John told many stories of the fun times and experiences he had while he lived in Chicago.

After graduating from electronics trade school, John moved back to Fredonia, NY where he began to seek employment. Soon thereafter, John was fortunate enough to obtain employment at General Electric in Lawrence Park, PA. Shortly thereafter, John moved with his first wife Thelma to North East, PA to shorten his commute to his employment at GE. John had a very successful career of 37 years at GE where he was always very proud to say he worked. John started out as a hydrotest technician, which was the only job there he didn’t like. He soon got a job as a mining locomotive test technician where he lost part of his hearing. Following a short stint in this role, John became a final test technician for 29 years in the “speed variator” DC drives department. In this department, he built many close friendships for the rest of their lives. John’s last position was working as an electronics test technician setting up and running tests for engineers developing new locomotive electrical systems. Throughout his entire GE career, John was always a proud member of the UE Local 506 union and he served as a union steward for 12 years. For many years after his retirement in 2000, John enjoyed the times when “the guys from GE” would get together at Perkins, Patrick’s, and other restaurants for breakfast and lunch. During his retirement and being the social butterfly that he was, he also enjoyed meeting with other North East retirees at Meeder’s for breakfasts on a regular basis.

In the mid-1970s John took a correspondence education course and learned how to become a locksmith. His interest in locks started out as a child when he would put nails on railroad tracks to have the trains flatten them out. Then he made keys out of the flattened nails. As a side hustle, John started and operated a business called “North East Locksmith Service”. He operated this business for 37 years until he ceased operations of the business in September 2012. The scope of this business included unlocking cars, installing locks on houses, re-keying locks, making keys, selling and installing security alarm systems, as well as selling and opening safes.

In the 1960s, John was a competitive shooter and he competed as a team member with the Gem City Gun Club. He carried his love of guns and target shooting throughout his life and always enjoyed the occasions where he was able to take his family members target shooting for a day. John also enjoyed deer hunting for many years starting in his childhood hunting with his father and uncles in Limestone, NY. For several years, he enjoyed hunting as a way of spending time with his sons for a day.

After moving to North East, PA in the 1960s, John joined the St Gregory’s parish and maintained being a parishioner for the remainder of his life. While a parishioner of St Gregory’s, he sent his children to the St Gregory’s elementary school, participated in the De Colores and Renew programs, served on the Parish Council, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus for many years.

From about 1980 until about 2005, John was an active member of the Crawford Erie County volunteer police “Company 3” serving North East and Harborcreek, PA. In this volunteer organization, John spent countless hours directing traffic for parades and providing security at festivals, dances, and high school basketball and football games. To be an active member of this group, John received a significant amount of police training and had to qualify every year with his firearm.

As a newcomer to the North East community in the 1960s, John truly immersed himself as a member of the community for the remainder of his life. For many years, John was an active member of the North East Exchange Club where he assisted with multiple local social and civic projects. He enjoyed attending many North East borough council meetings. He was also an auxiliary member of American Legion Post 105 in North East. John also assisted with the Boy Scouts Troop 82 activities while both of his sons were active. John was an active member of the North East Sportsmen’s Club for many years where he enjoyed target shooting.

The entire team at Barnabas Court North in Brevillier Village did an amazing job doing their absolute best to try to take good care of John where he briefly resided before his death. Enough good things can’t be said about the wonderful people there doing God’s work.

Donations may be made to Community Nursing Services of North East, 7 Park St, North East, PA 16428 or Brevillier Village, 5416 E Lake Rd, Erie, PA 16511.

Family and friends may call at the William D. Elkin Funeral Home, 65 S. Lake St., North East on Friday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. and are invited to attend a prayer service on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:30 a.m. at St. Gregory Thaumaturgus Church, 50 S. Pearl St., North East. The Rosary will be recited by the St. Gregory Knights of Columbus on Friday at 1:40 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be held at St. Gregory Cemetery. Please send condolences to elkinfh.com.