James Alexander Lippincott

James Alexander Lippincott, 52 former boat builder, champion sailboat racer, and sailmaker, and known as "Jitters" by his sailing friends died Sunday, June 18, 2000 at Genesis Eldercare at Easton, MD. Jim was originally from Riverton, New Jersey and from the Eastern Shore of Maryland since 1974. A resident of Easton since 1974, he was born on November 3, 1947 and was raised in Riverton, NJ. He graduated from Moorestown High School in Moorestown, NJ, and Lees-McRae Junior College in North Carolina. He also attended Pembroke State University in North Carolina. He was the son of the late Robert Louis Lippincott, renowned Star Class World Championship sailor and one-design boatbuilder and Edith Ridley Lippincott of Oxford, formerly of Riverton, NJ. He learned to sail both on the Delaware River and the Tred Avon River in the mid 1950''s. He enjoyed memberships at the Riverton Yacht Club, The Seaside Park Yacht Club, and the Tred Avon Yacht Club. He moved to Annapolis where he worked for Murphy & Nye Sailmakers and he was eventually transferred to Laspezia, Italy for one year to promote sailing and sails. There he instructed big boat sailors on sail trim and racing techniques. He established Lippincott Sailmakers, Inc. in Trappe, and later in St. Michaels, where he specialized in One-Design racers, Cruising Designs, and his favorite, the Log Canoes. Jimmy was a National Champion in the Duster 14-foot pram class. He was twice the International Champion of the Comet Class, once in Bermuda, and then again in Annapolis. In 1976 he won the International Star Class Championship of South America in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In addition he placed third in the International Star Class World Championship sailed in Chicago, and in the Lightning Class he was a Southern Circuit Champion. He had a stellar career in large racing sailboats which included many races on the Chesapeake Bay, the New Jersey Coast, and on the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit ( the SORC), culminating with being the Helmsman on a Maxi Boat Series, the California to Mazatlan Race against his arch rivals, Dennis Connors and Tom Blackaller. His sailing and sailmaking careers came to an end when he was 37 years old and was stricken with MS. Jim was a collateral descendant of General George Washington being descended from two of his brothers, John Augustine and Samuel Washington. He is survived by his mother, Edith Sears Ridley Lippincott of Oxford; four brothers, Richard Washington Lippincott, of Oxford; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Robert Louis Lippincott, Jr., of Poquoson, VA; William Ridley Lippincott, of St. Michaels and John Howard Lippincott, of Naples FL.; four nieces, Stacey Seymour, Jennifer Lippincott, Mary Ann Lippincott and Ashley Lippincott; three nephews: Ryan Lippincott, Johnny Lippincott and Bobby Lippincott, of Oxford; one great nephew, Robbie Seymour and two aunts, Elizabeth and Christine Ridley from Easton; four uncles and four aunts from New Jersey and Long Island; and twenty seven first cousins. Memorial services will take place at 12:00 noon on Friday June 23, 2000 at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Morris Street, Oxford, MD. Interment will be at the Zion Episcopal Church in Charlestown, W. VA. where many of the Washington family are buried. Memorial donations may be made to the Tred Avon Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program, c/o John Walters @ the Tred Avon Yacht Club, P.O. Box 337, Oxford, MD 21654.