Lippert Components shared with great sadness the passing of its founder and patriarch, Lawrence “Larry” Lippert, on Aug. 19, according to a press release. The following is from the company’s statement on his pasing:
When Larry returned to Alma, Michigan, in 1946 after serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II, he went to work for Redman Homes, a local builder of manufactured homes. After 10 years of learning the business, he convinced the Redman family to allow him to start supplying galvanized roofs to Redman and other local housing manufacturers. B&L Industries was born, and after the acquisition of a local frame builder, Riverdale Steelworks, Larry would rename the company Lippert Components, and the rest, they say, is history.
Larry would lead Lippert through periods of growth and tremendous financial hardships, but his entrepreneurial spirit always kept the company going, eventually becoming the manufacturing powerhouse that it is today. Larry retired in 1977, entrusting the next generations of his family to carry on his vision. In 2013, he was honored with induction into the RV/MH Hall of Fame, recognizing his contributions to the industry and the values he instilled into the business. Larry’s legacy is still deeply felt across Lippert, in the culture he inspired, the people he believed in and the mission that is carried forward today.
“If your team members give to you, you have to give back to them. They are the lifeblood of any company. Your team members ARE the company.” – Larry Lippert
The same year that Larry came home from World War II, he also married Dorothy Wood, whom he would remain married to until his death. Through 79 years of marriage, Larry and Dorothy would watch their family grow. He is survived by two children, Doug and Steve, six grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren. Larry’s full obituary can be viewed here.
Lippert President and CEO Jason Lippert added: “My grandfather was a true trailblazer. The world was a different place in 1956. The war had just ended, and there were thousands of men and women who came home and tried to make a better life for themselves and their families. Nothing was handed to my grandfather. He had a vision, and it took a lot of guts, hard work and determination to make that vision a reality.
There are over 15,000 team members who work at Lippert now that depend on this company for their livelihood, and I, along with the rest of the leadership here at Lippert, take that very seriously. None of it would have happened if Larry hadn’t taken a huge leap of faith back in 1956 to forge his own path and create something that has lasted almost 70 years.
As we now look back and celebrate his legacy, I, along with the rest of our Lippert family, thank my grandfather for the groundwork he laid and the life he led. We are saddened by his passing, but at the same time celebrate the 100 years of life that he spent on this earth.”
