Paul George DIPPEL

DIPPEL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/7/2009 at 13:21:49

Ventura County Star, CA
June 5, 2009

Paul George Dippel
1916 - 2009

On Memorial Day, May 25, 2009, Paul Dippel joined his wife and best friend Grace Dippel in heaven. They had been married for 56 years. Paul was born in Belmond, Iowa on February 3, 1916. His family consisting of his parents, George and Ema, with brothers, Merlin and Harris, and sister's, Arlene and Jessie, moved west during the great depression. They settled in Fillmore, California where Paul graduated high school. Paul was a resident of Ventura for more than 60 years and was an early graduate of Ventura College. He worked as a master carpenter for a period of years, part of that time in Sitka, Alaska for the Puget Sound Construction firm Siem and Drake. During World War II Paul was a Master Sergeant with the army's 358th Engineers regimen in the theaters of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. He received European, African, Middle Eastern campaign medal, good conduct medal, meritous unit award and the Victory Medals. Working in support and construction he supervised between 100 to 120 men. Upon returning to Ventura he ultimately became a building contractor and owner/partner of Giddings Construction Company. His company was centered in Ventura and built swimming pools in more than three counties for decades. One of his favorite projects was a pool he built on Santa Cruz; one of the Channel Islands.

Paul was a man who knew the ethics of hard work, fair play and compassion. Having no children of his own he became a second father to his nieces and nephews and their children as well. Paul was the last surviving member of his generation in our family. He will be missed by us all but we will continue to smile inside with remembrance of what a truly good man he was. There will be no services following his cremation but there will be a gathering and celebration of his life on Saturday June 6th when Paul and Grace's ashes are joined, as per their request, and scattered at a location he always loved near San Cayetano mountain in the upper Sespe. In lieu of flowers Paul requested that any donations be sent to the Fillmore Alumni Association, P.O. Box 385 Fillmore, California 93016.