John Edward Lipgens

John Edward Lipgens, 78, passed away at home on April 4, 2024.  Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico to the late Carl and Lillian Lipgens, he was the second oldest of five children.  The family moved to Melbourne, Florida when he was one year old and he remained there until he left home for the University of Florida.  While there, John earned a master’s degree in engineering, was on the Dean’s List, and was a distinguished military graduate in the ROTC. 

John married and moved with his wife, Sandy, to Mauldin, South Carolina in 1973 where they raised three children Jenny, Michael, and Jamie.  In 1973, he started working at Union Carbide’s Kemet plant in Simpsonville and remained with the company for 50 years, retiring in 2023.  At Kemet, he was respected for his many contributions, but also known humorously by his colleagues for his large appetite in the cafeteria and swift pace moving around the long halls in the plant.  In addition, John was an engineering professor for 10 years and served on the Industrial Engineering Technology Advisory Committee at Greenville Technical College.      

In his spare time, John could often be found working crossword puzzles, speeding through Mauldin on his bike, watching the Gators play football on Saturdays, or spending time with his family.  He will be dearly missed by all who knew him, but his legacy will live on through his four grandchildren Madison, Finnley, Fisher, and Hampton.