Tri-Cities man who showed ‘endless compassion’ in the face of death has died
A Tri-City public servant who tirelessly dedicated 26 years to the betterment of the troubled teens at the Benton-Franklin Juvenile Justice Center has died.
Eric Alan Lipp was 62.
He died Aug. 30 following an extensive fight with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) — a rapid neurodegenerative disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Lipp was diagnosed in November 2020 but he continued working as the center’s detention services manager until his eventual retirement.
He held the position for 12 years, working “tirelessly to bring meaningful programming” to the center, according to a joint statement last year by Benton and Franklin county commissioners. He was honored with a classroom in his name at the Juvenile Detention Center in Kennewick.
He showed an “endless compassion” for troubled youth, from those who were chronically absent from school to those who were facing murder charges.
“I think to a large part, given Eric’s leadership and the staff and programming we have, we see kids better managing their behavior and trying to advance to achieve better opportunities to be involved in these activities and programs,” juvenile court Administrator David Wheeler told Tri-City Herald for a story last year.
Even after he entered hospice care a year ago, Lipp’s absence at the justice center never went unnoticed.
Former co-workers would come by weekly to have lunch with him. And kids at the center even created a woodwork portrait of Lipp framed by a motto he used to approach life: “Make the most of the best, and the least of the worst.”
Einan’s at Sunset, Richland, is in handling his service arrangements.
