John Bryson Tripp
John Bryson Tripp died at the age of 53, on Thursday, May 6,
2010 after a 3 year battle with cancer. He died as he lived; with
faith in Jesus Christ and patience with humility in all that he
faced. John will be long remembered as a loving husband, father,
and friend. He was married to Terry for 29 years, in which they
raised 3 children: Bryson, 25; Marta, 23; and Emily, 20. Hiking,
biking and sailing were there family hobbies and vacations
together. John was a musician, playing the trombone, guitar and
piano with skill and passion. He loved leading worship at First
Presbyterian Church of Bellevue.
John was a teacher in the Lake Washington School District for 24
years. First at Redmond Jr. High and then Eastlake High School;
teaching the sciences was a passion as well, but more than the
actual instruction, John loved to encourage students in life
lessons that would serve them into adulthood. By the time of his
death, there were more than 1700 members to a Facebook page
entitled, "Prayers for Mr. Tripp"'; started by a student at EHS.
John was raised in Bellevue; graduating from Newport High in 1974
and earning a double degree in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
from the U.W. in 1979. He briefly worked for the engineering
company, KPFF in Seattle, upon his college graduation, but soon
felt the pull to education and investing his life in young people.
He earned a Master of Education from SPU in 1990. For the last 3
years, John's journey has been chronicled on a Caring Bridge site
on-line. His tenacity, commitment, loving and kind spirit, as well
as an enduring legacy of living the truths he believed in are
expressed for the over 23,000 times people logged on to read his
story.
John is survived by his mother, Helen Tripp, and his two
sisters, Janie Palmer and Cathy Young, as well as two nephews and a
niece. There are brother and sister-in-laws and many nephews and
nieces on Terry's side, who called him brother and uncle with
respect and love throughout their marriage. Terry and the kids are
especially grateful to all the support and love they have received
throughout this difficult journey - you all will be remembered for
your faithful prayers and expressed love for their beloved
John.