David Alan Pippin

David Alan Pippin, 1965-2024
David Alan Pippin died on July 6, 2024, in Boston after a short illness. He was 59 years old. He was the son of Robert and Barbara Pippin of Victor, New York and the oldest of three brothers. Dave was born at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and raised in Victor. He attended the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College, studying history and education, and receiving a bachelors and masters degree.
Dave taught for many years in New York, Maryland, Washington, and Massachusetts. While living in Seattle, he volunteered at the Center for Wooden Boats and found a passion for boat building. He was a dedicated educator, and eventually found a way to combine his teaching with boatbuilding at Community Boat Building in Boston, in a partnership with Boston public schools.
In 1999, when teaching in Seattle, Dave expressed an interest to several linguistic scholars in bringing linguistics education into the middle school curriculum. This was the start of a decades-long collaboration that brought the skills of scientific discovery, and the investigation of language to young students. Dave was the co-author or author of at least five professional linguistic publications, and contributed to more than a dozen presentations at linguistic and education conferences.
Dave was passionate advocate for our National Parks. He worked at San Juan Island National Park in Washington State and at Boston National Historic Park as a seasonal ranger when he was still teaching. In Boston, he was thrilled to be working near the boat shop that was used by the United States Navy for the maintenance of the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides." In 2022 he accepted a job offer from the Navy as a rigger on the USS Constitution.
Dave was always happy in the outdoors. He was a great climber, sailor, and skier. He could forage mushrooms with the best of them. Dave was excited by good music, food, farmers markets, the Polish language, his printing press, Swedish lawn games, and good books. He was a kind and caring person and made friends everywhere he went. Dave will be sincerely missed.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dave's memory may be made to Field of Greens (HERE) or to the Buffalo Maritime Center (HERE).
Calling hours for Dave will be held at the Miller Funeral and Cremation Services of Victor (301 West Main Street, Victor) from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM on Thursday, August 15. David's Funeral Mass will be held at St. Patrick's Church (115 Maple Avenue, Victor) at 10 am, on Friday, August 16.