Robert S. Tripp (April 30, 1937 to August 31, 2024) – was test pilot, Summer resident of SJI

Robert (Bob) Tripp had a life full and overflowing with adventure. It began when he was a newborn dropped off at the front door of a church, he was then adopted into a wonderful family and grew up in Belvedere, Illinois. In college, he was a very competitive fencer. At a very young age, he was strongly drawn to being in the air and quickly became an amateur pilot which then turned into a life-long passion and career.

Not only did he have a long career flying for Delta Airlines and working his way up to Captain but he was an extremely accomplished test pilot and had the opportunity to fly just about everything that raced across our skies. He had many claims to fame such as one of the only people to fly every version of the guppy, he wrote for air magazines, and of course wrote an aviation book.

He lived most of his adult life in a little town on Kauai called Keykaha where he had a beautiful little plantation cottage a block from the beach and he would surf every day. He was incredibly well-read and very intelligent, conversations were always a delight and incredibly interesting and diverse.

He met for the first time, long time San Juan resident Cynthia Hubbard in the early 1990s or so they thought until they talked for a while and realized, hey you’re the pregnant lady that was swimming in the ocean in Carmel in the early 1970s and she said hey you’re that guy that had the dreadlock dogs that walked on the beach every day.

They quickly became great friends, fell in love, got married and literally lived happily ever after. They traveled to the far reaches of the world multiple times a year every year for the rest of their lives and because he was a pilot they lived the winters in Kauai and the Summers on San Juan Island where they built a beautiful little house on the west side. They played lots of tennis and were immersed in both communities and loved by all. Bob was the epitome of a kind gentleman who always had a smile for everybody he crossed paths with. He lived life to the fullest right up to the end and will be greatly missed. He did it right.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “Wow! What a Ride!”

To share memories of Bob, please sign his online guest register and bookmark this link to check for updates:  www.evanschapel.com/obituary/bob-tripp