Patricia (Carnes) Lipp

Patricia “Pat” Lipp, 88, formerly of Lordship and Westport CT, and Isla Verde PR, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, December2, 2023. She was born February 26, 1935, in Flushing NY, daughter of the late Thomas and Anastasia (Duggan) Carnes.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph (Joe) Lipp, Jr, her daughter Susan, as well as her sister Mary Joan and brothers Thomas and Billy.

Born into a boisterous Irish family, she looked at life as a joyous adventure to be lived, pulling others into her circle and supporting their dreams. She and Joe had six children, but her extended family included numerous cousins, students, and friends, and the common joke was that each and every one was her “favorite.”

She was always ready for adventure, whether it was sailing with Joe as his rebellious first mate, camping, relocating to Puerto Rico, traveling to an English theme park with 6 kids and even more adults in a compact hatchback, traveling and visiting her children and grandchildren internationally, or playing make-believe with a grandchild in a closet.   She had a gift of making everyone feel important and special. Disney was one of her favorite happy places and she loved to share it.

Her mantra was “Choose to be Happy,” and she was.

Pat’s compassion and caring were not limited to her family. She worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for many years, supporting disaster relief for Hurricanes Hugo, Katrina, and Sandy, 9/11, as well as numerous others. She retired from FEMA at the age of 80.

She leaves a lasting legacy cherished by all who knew her, including: her children Karen Johnson and her husband Daniel of NC, Joseph “Jay” Lipp III and his wife Sharon of CT, Liza Paulsen and her husband James of VA, Anastasia “Stacey” Freddino of VA and Patricia “Patty” Farrar and her husband Jeffery of SC; grandchildren DJ Johson, Tina Johnson, Thomas Lipp, Joey Lipp, Susie Mitchell, Jamie Paulsen, Jimmy Paulsen, Katie Freddino, Sarah Freddino, Scott Farrar, and Shannon Farrar; and bonus grandchildren Jaime Mills and Kalya Stack. Naturally, each of the 13 grandchildren were convinced they were her favorite. She will also be missed by her 15 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren, cousins, and friends.

As she battled Alzheimer’s, she began to forget what she had for breakfast, but she never lost her sense of humor, cheerful outlook on life, or desire to make everyone she met feel special. The family wishes to acknowledge the staff of Wellmore of Tega Cay, SC for their supportive care and friendship with Pat through her last two years.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 6, at 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Assumption Church in Westport, CT. The Rite of Committal will follow at Assumption Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Alzheimer’s Association or to any charity that reminds one of Pat and her impact on their life.