In Memory...

Kipp, Garrett
MADISON

Garett Kipp, age 36, was lost to non-small cell lung cancer on Feb. 16, 2010. Garett was born on May 10, 1973, in Eau Claire. He graduated from Mondovi High School. He was a guard for the 1990 Mondovi Buffaloes Football Team, which competed at the WIAA State Tournament. Garett was married to Vicki Way on April 10, 1999, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Oregon, Wis. Garett, a devoted husband and father, was happiest when doing activities with his sons. He enjoyed photography, and especially liked to take pictures of his sons while they were having adventures with him. Garett graduated from UW-Platteville, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Building Construction Management. After college, Garett worked as a draftsperson and materials estimator at Cleary Building Corporation and later at Brunsell Lumber and Millwork. Garett was a member of the Capitol Off-Road Pathfinders and the Dane County Chapter of the Wisconsin Off-Road Bicycle Association. He coordinated the '12-Hours of Blue Mound' mountain bike race during the past few years. Garett belonged to the Chain Smokers Mountain Bike Team of Madison, and competed in the Wisconsin Off-Road Series of mountain bike distance races. He also enjoyed competing in Cyclocross races and going rock climbing at Devil's Lake. In addition, Garett completed three Birkebeiner Cross-County Ski Races. Garett rode in the MS-150 ride for five years with the Patti's Peddlers team, raising funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. As a volunteer, Garett Kipp helped build bike trails at Blue Mounds State Park, Cam Rock County Park, and at Quarry Ridge in Fitchburg. Garett was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. He completed his service in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2000. Although he personified "clean living" and never smoked, Garett was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer at age 35. After skiing 37 miles in the Birkebeiner Race last winter, he developed a cough and was diagnosed with metastasized lung cancer. Each year, 17,000 people who have never smoked are newly diagnosed with lung cancer. 174,000 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer annually, and 15% are never-smokers. Garett is survived by his wife, Vicki; sons, Griffin and Westin; mother, Susan (John) Schultz; father, Greg (Deb) Kipp, mother-in-law, Lynn, (Troy) McDonald; father-in-law, Mike (Judi) Way; brother, Joe (Shawn) Kipp; brother-in-law, Randy Way; brother-in-law, Rick (Heather Ann Smith) Way; niece, Riley Kipp; and nephew, Tighearnan Way, other relatives and many friends. A funeral service will be held at GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH, 5701 Raymond Road, on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, at 11 a.m. with Pastor Sheryl Erickson presiding. A visitation will be held at JOYCE-RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 5701 Odana Road, on Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and then again at church on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of service. The family would like to thank Dr. Anne Traynor and Dr. Michael Jones at the UW Paul P. Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center for their excellent care, and the Jodi Lou Lung Cancer Foundation, the friends who put on GarettFest, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for their kindness to our family.
Joyce-Ryan Funeral Home and Cremation Services 5701 Odana Road (608) 274-1000 www.ryanfuneralservice.com

Cancer is Bullshit.

Garett Kipp was a husband, a father, a mountain bike racer, a ski racer, a fellow ChainSmoker and an all around great guy. He will be missed.