Remembrance
(Scroll down on this page for Tip’s obituary.)
Tip Himes passed away after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s on November 11, Veterans Day, which somehow seems fitting for a Marine First Lieutenant who served with honor in Vietnam. His family, led by his wife Cynthia, who was also his faithful and loving caretaker for many years, was with him when he died.
Tip was a founding partner of the law firm of Griest, Himes, Herrold, Reynosa LLP, a very active member of the YMCA, and an ardent member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He lived his life by the Golden Rule, treating others the way he would want to be treated, always putting himself in the other person’s shoes. Many called him a “gentleman’s attorney” meaning he could be trusted on a handshake. He enjoyed running, gardening, and antiques. Tip would want to be remembered for his smile, his integrity and his humor, and that’s exactly the way we remember him.
“Tip was a starting guard on the football team.,” remembers Chris Kule. “We actually played against each other as peewees, since he was a member of the formidable York (PA) Yankees Boys Club team. They beat us 28-0, which was our first loss in two years. Tip was close with our lineman cadre Greenlee, Prewitt, Marlantes, Fasano come to mind. He served as class secretary or treasurer in the 1970’s, so he would have been involved in planning our first class reunions, and in keeping the class together after Bill Hilgendorf was killed in the Hong Kong accident. Tip was a successful lawyer in his home town of York, PA, and I think he was active in helping manage the York Yankees Boys Club. I am distressed to hear of his passing and sorry to hear it was related to Alzheimer’s. Tragic news.”
“Was Tip mischievous?” asks Paul Lamar. “Absolutely. He had a girl friend or two; he had a few drinking buddies; he laughed a lot (you remember the sound of it!), either at his own wisecracks, but mostly at those of others; he often blurred the line between late night and morning.
“Was Tip serious? Yup. We had many thoughtful conversations about ideas and people that year. We studied Spanish together. And when the Dean threatened to can him unless he stopped fooling around quite so much and, instead, get productive, he joined the wrestling team (remember what Tip looked like?) and came in second in a major tournament.
“Was Tip focused? Indeed. At a reunion – maybe the 25th – he told me he’d gotten his sobriety and run a couple of marathons. He always expressed interest in what I was doing. We spoke warmly on the phone a few times over the past seven years, after he’d told me the heartbreaking news of his diagnosis. And when I told my three younger siblings about Tip’s death, they were moved because they remembered meeting him – that charismatic guy with wonderful manners – in Vanderbilt 67 all those years ago.”
“I met Tip the day of my first Yale class, Second Year Spanish, which met at 8am Monday through Friday somewhere on Science Hill. Ugh!” says Rick Luis. The class was intense, conducted largely in Espanol by a courtly gentleman who called himself El Senor Peel. The early hour, remote locale, and daily grind led to a bonding among some of us, who stayed friends the rest of our time at Yale. In my case, Tip and Bob Greenlee remained friends of mine through their lifetimes. I am so sad that both of them are now gone.
“Tippy” had a unique, ribald sense of humor, which entertained everyone around him. I remember that he chaired our 20th Reunion, held at Branford, at which a number of us seemed more friendlly and unaffected than at earlier reunions, when we measured each other by career progression and the amount of money we had. I had a great time, and hope others of us who went did too, because the whole experience was just fun, due in great part to the relaxed atmosphere fostered by Tippy at the helm.
“Fast forward to our 45th, before which I called to remind Tip he should register, and was told by one of his law partners that Tip was in assisted living with Alzheimer’s. I was crushed.
“Rest in peace, El Senor Himes.”
Obituary
York Township – Laurence T. “Tip” Himes, Jr., age 74, of York, passed away surrounded by family at his home on November 11, 2019, after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.
Born May 6, 1945 in Orange, NJ, Tip was the son of the late Laurence T. and Virginia M. (Muller) Himes. He was a 1963 graduate of William Penn High School where he played football and later became part of the high school’s “Football Hall of Fame”. After high school, Tip went to Yale University, graduating in 1967. He then served as a First Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps with service in Vietnam. After honorable discharge from the US Marine Corps, Tip obtained his law degree from the Dickinson School of Law, graduating in 1974 and was admitted to the Bar the same year. Tip retired in 2012 as a founding partner of the law firm of Griest, Himes, Herrold, Reynosa, LLP. He was a former member of The Country Club of York and a member of the former Lafayette Club. Tip had also been a very active member of the YMCA and an ardent member of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Tip lived his life by the Golden Rule, treating others the way oneself would want to be treated, always putting himself in the other person’s shoes. Many called him a “gentleman’s attorney” in that he could be trusted on a handshake. He enjoyed running, gardening, and antiques. Tip would want to be remembered by his smile, his integrity, and his humor.
Tip is survived by his wife of 39 years, Cynthia J. (Scrano) Himes, who was also his faithful and loving caretaker for many years. In addition to his wife, Tip is survived by four sons, Matthew T. Himes, and his wife Ingrid Kiefer, of Los Angeles, Daniel T. Himes, and his wife, Dana, of San Diego, David H. Himes, of Myers Flat, CA, Patrick T. Himes, and his wife Barbara McCarthy, of Somerville, MA; a daughter, Catherine G. “Katie” Himes, of York; three grandchildren, Margaret Himes, Edith “Edie” Himes, and George Himes; a brother, G. Andrew Himes, of Ohio; and two sisters, Margaret “Molly” Himes, of Maryland and Martha Himes of Massachusetts.
Tip’s family would like to thank Grane Hospice, Wellbrook Adult Day Care, and Paul Thorne for helping care for Tip.
A viewing will be held from 5-7:00 PM on Friday, November 15, 2019, at Kuhner Associates Funeral Directors, Inc. located at 863 S. George Street in York. Private funeral services will be held the following day. Burial will be in the New Oxford Cemetery, with military rites presented by the York County Veterans Honor Guard.
Memorial contributions may be made to the York YMCA, 90 North Newberry Street, York PA 17401 or to Cross Keys Village – Wellbrook Adult Day Care, 2990 Carlisle Pike, New Oxford, PA 17350.