Walter "Ben" Pipp, aged 83, died peacefully on January 8, 2006. Born in New York City on July 10, 1922 to Walter and Nora Pipp. Ben grew up in Grand Rapids where he attended St. Stephan's School and graduated from Ottawa Hills High School. His college tenure at University of Michigan was interrupted by the war. Ben enlisted in the army and trained in the military weather school. He earned the rank of Captain while serving in the Pacific Basin at the weather station in Guam and as Chief Weather Forecaster on Hiroshima. In 1947 he received the WWII Victory Medal. Ben completed his BS in engineering at U of M in 1948 and began his 40-year career in the conveyer industry, working in top management position for 20 years at Rapistan in Grand Rapids, four years at American Chain and Cable in Franklin Park, IL, and almost 20 years at ACCO-Babcock in Warren, MI. He served as President of both the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturing Assn. and the Foundry Equipment Manufacturing Assn. He retired from ACCO as President and moved to Grand Haven, MI. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary Rita; children, Bill and Terri Pipp, Marty and Fred Petillo, Molly P. Pipp, Walter B. and Sharon Pipp, Jr, Polly and Eric Mariani, and Erin Pipp Calderon; six grandchildren, Jeffery Pipp, Madeline, Ava, and Benjamin Mariani and Gabriela and Stephanie Calderon; brothers, Thomas J. Pipp and Walter C Pipp Jr.; a sister, Dorothy Gibler; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Walter C. and Nora Pipp and his brother-in-law, Bill Gibler. Ben loved sports, especially golf and was a lifelong U of M fan. He had a sense of humor that could entertain at a moments notice. He was a faithful and active member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and a member of the Grand Haven American Legion Post #28. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Wednesday 10:30 a.m.at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 920 Fulton Ave, Grand Haven, Rev. Thomas J. Pipp S.J. and Rev. William Langlois presiding. Military Honors will be provided by the American Legion Honor Guard of Post #28. Private interment will be at Lake Forest Cemetery. Friends may meet the family at the VanZantwick Bartels Kammeraad Funeral Home of Grand Haven Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to the service at church Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to National Kidney Foundation or St. Patrick's Memorial Fund. VanZantwick, Bartels, Kammeraad Grand Haven, MI.