Gerald Kipper

1936 - 2023

Gerald Alfred Kipper

1936 - 2023

Gerald Alfred Kipper entered the next chapter in his journey with God peacefully and surrounded by family in the rainy morning hours of March 9, 2023, in Santa Maria, CA. His passing was marked by the same qualities with which he lived his life: Faith, Trust, and Love in Christ. In his own words: Looking back on my life I can say it all started from, a gift, to me from God. He placed me in a family that was deeply Catholic. His Spirit guided me all through my life, even when I turned my back on Him, or did things that widened the gap between us. He never stopped loving me.

Gerald was born to Leonard Peter Kipper and Margaret Sophie Egidy on July 10, 1936 in Oak Park, IL, a suburb of Chicago. He was the first of 7 children, being the older brother of Leonard, Joan, Lorna, Karen, Mary, and Sandy. From Oak Park his family moved to Richmond, KS and then to Kansas City. There he attended and graduated from Redemptorist High School.

After graduation, Gerald went on to serve in the United States Army from 1955-1957. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Specialist Third Class, Artillery, Regular Army.

He then attended and graduated from Central Technical Institute in Kansas City, and from there moved to Santa Maria to begin a 42-year career at nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base. At various points he worked on the base for General Dynamics, Lycoming Engines, and ITT / Federal Electric Company. During this time he also supplemented his credentials by attending and graduating from Allan Hancock College with an AS in Electronics, an AS in Data Processing, and an AA in Public Accounting. He retired from Vandenberg Air Force Base as a Systems Supervisor at Building 7380, where he oversaw launch timing and countdown.

He lived in Orcutt and the Santa Maria area for the entirety of his adult life. He shared 36 years of marriage with his first wife Sharon Enyart Kipper, who preceded him in death. Gerald and Sharon together welcomed 5 children into the world with the birth of Kevin, Katrina, Jerry, Joyanne, and David. Their family grew with the addition of daughters-in-law Susan, Yvonne, and Amber, persons Gerald very much considered his own daughters.

As a natural expression of his Faith and Love in God, Gerald was exceptionally involved with the community at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church from the beginning-even being present as a founding parishioner when the church was established in 1963. Gerald served as a Religious Education Teacher and Eucharistic Minister. He was also a Fourth Degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus, Council 2475, where he had previously served as a Grand Knight and a Faith Navigator. He also volunteered as a Eucharistic Minister at Marian Medical Center.

Through his engagement with the church community, Gerald met his second wife Mary Jane Kipper and further expanded his family through the addition of Mary Jane's daughters Cindy and Kristie, and son-in-law Jeff.

Gerald is survived by his six siblings, his wife Mary Jane, his 3 sons and 2 daughters, 2 stepdaughters, 3 daughters-in-law, 1 son-in-law, 11 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will begin 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 19, 2023; followed by the Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Magner-Maloney Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 20, 2023 at St. Louis deMontfort Church with interment following in the original section of the Santa Maria Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the CCD program at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church.

Arrangements are in the care of Magner-Maloney Funeral Home and Crematory. Sympathy notes and words of support may be expressed at www.magnermaloney.com.