Coach Tripp died on June 15, 1993 at the age of 57. He coached for 32 years at HHS from 1961 to 1993. Rest In Peace, Coach! This is his obituary from The Miami Herald:
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HIALEAH HIGH SCHOOL COACH, TEACHER
PAUL TRIPP, 57:
Newspaper Obituary and Death Notice
Miami Herald, The (FL) - Thursday, June 17, 1993
Deceased Name:HIALEAH HIGH SCHOOL COACH, TEACHER PAUL TRIPP, 57
If Hialeah High School coach and teacher Paul Tripp saw a student needed sneakers, he would go out and buy a pair. Teachers at the school admired Tripp so much that they recently named him Teacher of the Year.
Tripp died Tuesday of heart failure at age 57.
On Wednesday, Principal Frank Wargo announced the death to graduating seniors at commencement exercises.
"You could hear the moans go up from the students," Wargo said. "He always went the extra mile for the kids."
Tripp was a former All-America collegiate football player who briefly played offensive guard and tackle in the pros with the San Francisco 49ers. He stood an imposing 6-feet-4 and weighed 325 pounds.
"But he was as gentle as a lamb," said his friend, Wayne Story, executive secretary of the Greater Miami Athletic Conference. "I think back on all the kids he has touched. He has made a difference in lives.
"If Paul taught me anything, and he was our leader all the way, it was to love my fellow man. He taught me that when another person succeeds, I should take pride in it."
Tripp grew up in Pocatello, Idaho, and graduated from Idaho State University.
He made Hialeah his home. For 32 years, he taught and coached at the high school. He served as the school's athletic director. Tripp helped form the state's first athletic director's association and served on national athletic director boards.
He was in the forefront of encouraging Dade schools to provide more athletics for girls. "He pushed it real hard," Story said.
In his spare time, Tripp enjoyed growing orchids and other flowers. He was the first president of the Miami Springs Garden Club.
He is survived by his former wife, Carolyn Tripp; daughter, Toni Lyn Tripp; sons, Les and Mason Tripp; mother, June Kington; a brother, sister and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Lowe-Hanks Funeral Home in Hialeah.
There will be no services. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Hialeah High School Landscaping Fund.
Edition: FINAL Page: 4B Copyright (c) 1993 The Miami Herald
I lived across the street from the Tripp's and often babysat their children. When Paul came home he would go out in the yard and play with his kids and all the neighborhood kids. Gentle is a good word to describe him. A kind and gentle man.
Coach Tripp. what a great coach, man, and teacher. A great laugh and he did. My first day in the middle of our Junior year I went to the Atheletic Office and Coaches Powell, Hipke, Eagle, and Coach Tripp were there. I told them I wanted to come out for the football team and Tripp said to show up at the locker room at 2:30. I told him I couldn't do that today because I had to go home and get my jock, cleats, etc. They all laughed and Coach Tripp grinned, snickered a little and said it would be ok and just show up. In N.C. we had to wash our own stuff and provide shoes, etc.
At practice he asked what position I played and I said quarterback and he said they had plenty of them to report to him and if I measured up he'd find me a position. I showed up in pads and helment with TUBAUGH taped on the front:
Coach Tripp said "TwoBalls. I hope so". Then he demonstrated how to block from a three point stance and knocked me about five yards down the field on my (once upon a time) tiny hiney. I loved the man. Ran into him in LUMS when I returned from Southeast Asia and he allowed me to buy him a "Skooner" or two.
Coach Tripp was a great coach, friend, and role model for me, growing up. He was the track coach and taught me how to be faster, using a couple track techniques. I was playing the offside weak tackle at 170 pounds, frequently going up against guys that were 50 pounds or more heavier than me, so he told me I had to learn to be quick. He told me with a laugh, "You will either learn to be quick or you wont survive! Its The Quick and The Dead out there!" A great sense of humor and amazingly fast for 300-lb guy! I always considered him a friend because he would talk to you, about anything! He was the best offensive line coach I ever had. I have wondered over the past couple months why we werent remembering him, and I am glad now that we ARE, remembering him. In 10th grade he outran the state AAU champ the previos year, much to everybody's amazement, at 300 pounds. Quite a guy.
Coach Tripp was a outstanding coach, and teacher. A great guy we will never forget you. My first car accident was in front of his house in 1967 ,rest in pease coach.------vince
Don Boyd
Coach Tripp died on June 15, 1993 at the age of 57. He coached for 32 years at HHS from 1961 to 1993. Rest In Peace, Coach! This is his obituary from The Miami Herald:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIALEAH HIGH SCHOOL COACH, TEACHER
PAUL TRIPP, 57:
Newspaper Obituary and Death Notice
Miami Herald, The (FL) - Thursday, June 17, 1993
Deceased Name: HIALEAH HIGH SCHOOL COACH, TEACHER PAUL TRIPP, 57
If Hialeah High School coach and teacher Paul Tripp saw a student needed sneakers, he would go out and buy a pair. Teachers at the school admired Tripp so much that they recently named him Teacher of the Year.
Tripp died Tuesday of heart failure at age 57.
On Wednesday, Principal Frank Wargo announced the death to graduating seniors at commencement exercises.
"You could hear the moans go up from the students," Wargo said. "He always went the extra mile for the kids."
Tripp was a former All-America collegiate football player who briefly played offensive guard and tackle in the pros with the San Francisco 49ers. He stood an imposing 6-feet-4 and weighed 325 pounds.
"But he was as gentle as a lamb," said his friend, Wayne Story, executive secretary of the Greater Miami Athletic Conference. "I think back on all the kids he has touched. He has made a difference in lives.
"If Paul taught me anything, and he was our leader all the way, it was to love my fellow man. He taught me that when another person succeeds, I should take pride in it."
Tripp grew up in Pocatello, Idaho, and graduated from Idaho State University.
He made Hialeah his home. For 32 years, he taught and coached at the high school. He served as the school's athletic director. Tripp helped form the state's first athletic director's association and served on national athletic director boards.
He was in the forefront of encouraging Dade schools to provide more athletics for girls. "He pushed it real hard," Story said.
In his spare time, Tripp enjoyed growing orchids and other flowers. He was the first president of the Miami Springs Garden Club.
He is survived by his former wife, Carolyn Tripp; daughter, Toni Lyn Tripp; sons, Les and Mason Tripp; mother, June Kington; a brother, sister and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Lowe-Hanks Funeral Home in Hialeah.
There will be no services. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Hialeah High School Landscaping Fund.
Edition: FINAL Page: 4B Copyright (c) 1993 The Miami Herald
Gloria Goodlet (Doddridge)
I lived across the street from the Tripp's and often babysat their children. When Paul came home he would go out in the yard and play with his kids and all the neighborhood kids. Gentle is a good word to describe him. A kind and gentle man.
Alvis Tubaugh
Coach Tripp. what a great coach, man, and teacher. A great laugh and he did. My first day in the middle of our Junior year I went to the Atheletic Office and Coaches Powell, Hipke, Eagle, and Coach Tripp were there. I told them I wanted to come out for the football team and Tripp said to show up at the locker room at 2:30. I told him I couldn't do that today because I had to go home and get my jock, cleats, etc. They all laughed and Coach Tripp grinned, snickered a little and said it would be ok and just show up. In N.C. we had to wash our own stuff and provide shoes, etc.
At practice he asked what position I played and I said quarterback and he said they had plenty of them to report to him and if I measured up he'd find me a position. I showed up in pads and helment with TUBAUGH taped on the front:
Coach Tripp said "TwoBalls. I hope so". Then he demonstrated how to block from a three point stance and knocked me about five yards down the field on my (once upon a time) tiny hiney. I loved the man. Ran into him in LUMS when I returned from Southeast Asia and he allowed me to buy him a "Skooner" or two.
This country today NEEDs more Coach Tripps!!!!
Tubaugh
Mel Johnson
Coach Tripp was a great coach, friend, and role model for me, growing up. He was the track coach and taught me how to be faster, using a couple track techniques. I was playing the offside weak tackle at 170 pounds, frequently going up against guys that were 50 pounds or more heavier than me, so he told me I had to learn to be quick. He told me with a laugh, "You will either learn to be quick or you wont survive! Its The Quick and The Dead out there!" A great sense of humor and amazingly fast for 300-lb guy! I always considered him a friend because he would talk to you, about anything! He was the best offensive line coach I ever had. I have wondered over the past couple months why we werent remembering him, and I am glad now that we ARE, remembering him. In 10th grade he outran the state AAU champ the previos year, much to everybody's amazement, at 300 pounds. Quite a guy.
Vincent D Mancusi Jr.
Coach Tripp was a outstanding coach, and teacher. A great guy we will never forget you. My first car accident was in front of his house in 1967 ,rest in pease coach.------vince