Walter J. Lipka

COHOES Walter J. Lipka, Jr., 86, beloved husband, father, grandfather and teacher passed away peacefully on January 30, 2024 at Health Alliance Hospital in Kingston after a two-month battle with sepsis.
Born in Cohoes, he was the son of the late Walter J. Lipka Sr. and Agnes Flanagan Lipka. He proudly served in the US Army as a military police officer in the early 1960's. He received his bachelor's degree in Art Education from Suny New Paltz and his master's degree in Studio Art from UAlbany and spent his entire career teaching in the Cohoes City School District.
Walter was not a joiner but gave willingly of his talents to help any group that asked for his help. He belonged to the Cohoes Teacher's Assoc., NYSUT and the Delphic Fraternity. He was the Cohoes City Historian for 10 years and was instrumental in George Stacey Davis finally being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He also served on the Empire Plaza Art Commission under the late Gov. Mario Cuomo and was a communicant of St. Michael's Church in Cohoes for 57 years.
Walter was the beloved husband of Diane Kennedy Lipka; the loving father of William Lipka (Christie) of Rochester, Peter Lipka of Portland, CT, Stephen Lipka of Pasadena, CA, Kirstin Lipka of Cohoes and the late Catherine Lipka; the brother of the late James Lipka and the brother-in-law of April Kennedy of Cohoes. He is also survived by his adored grandchildren, Alex (Abi), Steven, Andrew and Kayleigh Lipka and Gunnar Miorin.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. from the Fitzgerald Funeral Home, 105 Vliet Blvd., Cohoes and at 10:30 a.m. in St. Michael's Church, Cohoes. Interment will follow in St. Agnes Cemetery, Cohoes.
Relatives and friends may visit at the funeral home Monday from 4-7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Diabetes Assoc., P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116 or the Sepsis Alliance, 3180 University Ave., Suite 310, San Diego, CA 92104 or to a charity of your choice.