Lawrence Allen Lipton

Larry was born in Detroit to Benjamin and Francis Lipton, graduating from Cal State - Northridge, and UC Berkeley, with an EdD from Temple University. 

Larry took President Kennedy’s call to “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” to heart. Inspired, he left a career as a literal rocket scientist to register voters in the South in the early 60s. He later joined the Peace Corps in Nigeria as a teacher from 1965 through 1967.  This ignited a passion for teaching that extended throughout his entire life. 

After returning to the US he moved to Philadelphia to begin 52 years teaching chemistry and physics at various Philadelphia institutions, including Central, Girls, and Gratz High Schools, the University of Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia Community College. He was a proud union man. 

Larry was also an avid horseback rider, orchestral clarinetist, yoga, tai chi, and Alexander technique instructor, and active member of several local synagogues. He also designed a unique-for-it’s-time bicycle-powered generator for physics instruction . It really worked. 

His first, only, and truest love was his wife Susan Lipton, who he met in the summer of 1967, and married 6 weeks later. “When you know, you know” he always said. 

They enjoyed all of those years in the Philadelphia area, spending the last 42 years as proud residents of Swarthmore, (where you certainly have seen them walking through town multiple times a day).  

Larry was a loving — and silly, and supportive — father to his children, Eric and Bonnie, and a favorite grandpa of his grandchildren Mason, Elliot, and Noah. His influence on them all was, and will always be immeasurable. 

Larry is survived by by his wife and children, his brother Mark, and the thousands of students across the years he taught with respect and appreciation.