NEW ALBANY —
A co-founder of Harvest Homecoming — one of the largest festivals in Indiana, has died.
J. Paul Lipps, 80, died Thursday at Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services. He was the retired owner and operator Lipps National Printing Corp. in New Albany and was involved in numerous community and civic events including Harvest Homecoming, which has been held the past 44 years in October..
“Paul was one of the original co-founders of Harvest Homecoming and helped make the festival what it is today,” said Larry Fischer, chairman of the board for Harvest Homecoming. “He was a special guy.”
In recent years, Lipps and his wife Virginia were involved in the restoration efforts of the Cardinal Ritter home in New Albany. His wife was related to the Ritter family.
“He was in just about every aspect of life in New Albany,” said Letty Walter, who along with Lipps was a member of the Ritter Birthplace Foundation board. “He was on the cutting edge of getting New Albany going. Any kind of campaign that would come along, Paul would support the cause with some kind of donation.”
A funeral Mass for Lipps will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday at Holy Family Catholic Church in New Albany. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Kraft Funeral Service, Spring Street Chapel.
“He was the perfect gentleman,” said former New Albany Mayor Doug England, who said he got to know Lipps in the 1980s. “He was a first-class guy. He was kind of like a father or grandfather figure.”
Fischer said Lipps would still attend some Harvest Homecoming events, and said he will never be forgotten. His wife Patty, who has been involved with the festival for 42 years, agreed.
“He was a very important part of the festival,” she said. “He will be missed.”
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Paul J. Lipps
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Co-founder of Harvest Homecoming Festival dies
J. Paul Lipps was involved in several civic, community events
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