Anthony Frank Tripp was born to Carl Tripp and Gloria Tripp nee Nigro on January 14th, 1950 in Kansas City, Missouri and was raised eldest of four siblings; Anne Symmonds, Pam Williams and Steve Tripp. From the beginning, he had an adventurous spirit and wild personality that carried him through life. A childhood filled with team driven projects, ranging from playing organized sports such as baseball and peewee hockey to self conjured tasks like selling duck feed to park goers. Tony displayed endless ingenuity, boundless energy and a vigor for life that shaped him throughout his youth into his adulthood and later in life and gained him an assortment of endearing nicknames such as 'Chip', 'Chipper' and most notably 'The Rhino'. 

Tony graduated from Southwest Highschool in 1968 and received a scholarship to play hockey for St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota. He pursued a degree in teaching and earned a Master's Degree in Education Administration from UMKC. He taught art in the KCMO Public School District during a time when art programs were regularly discontinued and shut down. He would travel from school to school, taking his own supplies for his classes to use. His work as a teacher did not dampen his passion for a personal life filled with friends, rock concerts, classic cars, fireworks and trips to the lake where he would show off his barefoot water skiing skills with his brothers and sisters. 

Tony continued to pursue his passions throughout life. He expressed his creativity through ceramics and pottery and sustained his sportmanship as an excellent golfer and spending time at the gunrange. Tony never hesitated to try new things, easily perfecting culinary projects such as banana and zucchini bread as he did DIY building projects around his home. 

Tony passed on his knowledge and jovial approach to life to his daughters; Mary Frances Tripp and Mary Caroline Tripp; as well as his nieces Sophia and Carrie; nephews Rory, Eric and Alex; great nieces Lakelyn and Reia; and great nephews Owen, Morgan and Nicholas. 

Tony passed away on February 20th, 2019. Tony was and still is often described as being and creating 'the best of fun'. A lesson that he left as a legacy for his family and friends. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. at Redemptorist Catholic Church, 3333 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO, on Friday, March 1st. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Rhino Fund at the World Wildlife Fund or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.