By Karen Andrew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Rev. Jack Forest Trippel, a Cincinnati native, died Thursday after collapsing on the Big Pine Golf Course in Attica, Ind. The Crawfordsville, Ind., resident was 72.

Born in Cincinnati in 1931, he graduated from Purcell High School in 1950. Mr. Trippel served in the U.S. Marine Corps' Air Wings for two years: 1952-53.

In 1956, he married Eileen Claire Adams of Cincinnati.

Mr. Trippel attended the University of Cincinnati, but earned his bachelor's degree in business from Xavier University in 1964.

The Trippels moved to Lebanon in 1965, where Mr. Trippel worked as an insurance underwriter for 34 years.

He spent many years taking care of his wife, who suffered from multiple sclerosis. His brother, the Rev. Edward G. Trippel of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Clifton, said when Mrs. Trippel passed away in 1989, his brother decided he might be able to take care of other people. He moved to Hale's Corner, Wis., to attend the Sacred Heart School of Theology.

"I thought it was terrific when he went back to school at our age to become a priest," said the Rev. Edward Trippel. "After he went through all he did, he saw he could help other people and went through all that schooling to became a priest. He was an inspiration to me."

In 1995, the Rev. Jack Trippel was ordained as a priest. Following his ordination, he moved to Kokomo, Ind., to serve as associate pastor at St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

In 1998, he became associate pastor of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Lafayette, Ind.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Trippel was preceded in death by a son, Steven M.; three brothers, Wilmer, Charles E. and Louis H.; and a sister, Virginia Zeiser.

In addition to his brother, Edward, he is survived by five sons, Ronald E. of Greenfield, Ind., David W. of Crawfordsville, Ind., Thomas R. of Bloomington, Ind., Brian C. of Romulus, Mich., and Kevin J. of Kankakee, Ill; and five grandchildren.

A memorial Mass will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 319 East South St., Lebanon, Ind. Myers Mortuary of Lebanon is serving the family.

Memorials: St. Joseph Catholic Church, 319 E. South St., Lebanon, IN 46052; St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 1916 Meharry St., Lafayette, IN 47904-1497; or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Attn: Donation Processing, 700 Broadway, Suite 810, Denver, CO 80203-3442.

E-mail kandrew@enquirer.com