Robert Ferrari Di Pippo

Robert Ferrari Di Pippo, age 86, passed away peacefully at home on the morning of Sunday, June 14th. He was surrounded by his loved ones. Mr. Di Pippo was the former husband of Joyce (Lang) Di Pippo. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, he was the fourth son of Silvio and Evelyn (Ferrari) Di Pippo. He leaves a son, Alexander Ferrari Di Pippo and his wife Traude (Kastner) Di Pippo, and a daughter, Trudy Di Pippo Davis and her husband, Steven Davis, and his grandson, Jack Davis. He was the brother of Albert, Angelo, Silvio, Edmund and Thomas Di Pippo. Mr. Di Pippo was born and raised in the Mount Pleasant area of Providence, and spent many years on Federal Hill, working at his father’s business -Silvio Di Pippo & Sons- which was originally established in 1922. He attended Providence Public Schools, La Salle Academy, College of the Holy Cross, Georgetown Law School, and New England Law School. Mr. Di Pippo was admitted to practice law in Massachusetts in 1963, and in Rhode Island in 1964. He was also admitted to practice before the United States District Court in Providence and the United States Bankruptcy Court. During his early years of practicing law, he also managed the Di Pippo Music School and curated annual recitals in the RISD auditorium. He served in the National Guard for eight years as a combat engineer. In 1960, Mr. Di Pippo headed, “R.I. Youth for Pell”. He was very active in the Goldwater for President Campaign. In 1965, he became one of the founders of The Conservative Committee of Rhode Island, along with Charles Eden, and was one of the editors and contributors to its newsletter. In 1979, Mr. Di Pippo was cited by the Young Americans for Freedom for his efforts in promoting Conservative causes. In that same year, Mr. DiPippo was appointed Assistant Deputy Reading Clerk by the Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, where he served for several years. In 1981, he founded the Southern New England School of Law, together with Dean Alfred Avins and Attorney Neil McIver, serving as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and a term as President. Mr. Di Pippo was very active in the Rhode Island Pro-Life movement, and represented many of its members in Court. He also served as President of the Federal Hill Lions Club for several years, and was counsel for the Federal Hill Businessmen’s Association. In addition to practicing law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and continuing to engage in his various political activities over the years, Mr. Di Pippo loved spending time with his two children, Alex and Trudy, and pursuing his passion for music, art and history. Jazz and classical music were a constant in Mr. Di Pippo’s life. A jazz aficionado and skilled jazz drummer, one of his favorite and most frequent pastimes was attending jazz concerts with his children and friends. He also loved to collect unusual antiques and art. The son of an expert watchmaker and artisan, he had a deep knowledge and love of vintage watches and antique clocks, and collected, repaired and traded many over the years. His passion for vintage foreign cars was also a defining element in his life and a never-ending side project until his last car: a Fiat Cinquecento known to his grandson Jack as “the Nonno Mobile that drives as fast as a Ferrari.” In 1999, Mr. Di Pippo was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and he spent the next few years in treatment and recovery at the Lombardi Cancer Clinic in Washington, D.C. where he lived with his two children. He survived and returned home to Rhode Island where he lived for the remainder of his retirement and continued to pursue his many interests. He would usually take a vacation during the winter months and drive down to Miami, Florida in the company of his beloved dog, Minna. His children would like to thank their father’s many friends for their support over the years and also thank Father Silvio De Nard for his enduring spiritual guidance of their dad. Funeral arrangements have been made by Mr. Di Pippo’s dear friend, Jack Skeffington, of Skeffington Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church in East Providence on Saturday, June 20th at 11:00 AM and burial will take place afterwards at Swan Point Cemetery on Blackstone Boulevard. Memorial donations may be made to Sacred Heart Church (118 Taunton Avenue, East Providence, R.I. 02914).

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