Uploaded June 2014 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
Jenna Mammina sings "Smile". Steven Strauss is on ukulele. Charlie Chaplin composed the music for "Smile" around about 1936. Lyrics were added in 1954 by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. This performance was recorded at the service celebrating my father's life. June 14, 2014; Willits, California.
Vernon Dale Tripp
1924 - 2014
Vernon Dale Tripp died March 6, 2014, in Willits, CA, after a short illness. Friends and family were at his bedside. He was 89 years old, just a few weeks short of his ninetieth birthday. Dale was born on March 24, 1924 in Spokane, Washington.
At age ten, Dale contracted poliomyelitis ("Polio") which left him with no working muscles in his left leg. He graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1942. Unable to enlist in the armed forces due to his bad leg, in the summer of 1942, Dale rode his bicycle from Santa Cruz, California, to Seattle, Washington, (1000 miles) to work in the shipyards alongside his father (Rama Forest Tripp, 1897-1978) as a Marine Wireman. He made the trip in ten days.
Dale had been trained in drafting while he attended Santa Cruz High School. The drafting trade served Dale well throughout his life. He worked as a mechanical draftsman for many employers, including the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bethlehem Steel, Lockheed Aircraft, Insul-8 Corp. (San Carlos, CA), and Unisys (Santa Clara, CA), among others.
Dale had excellent lettering skills and worked as a professional sign-painter in the early 1950's.
He also had a strong sense of social justice. He worked to advance the progressive movement throughout his adult life. Dale met his first wife, Eleanor J. Wright (1918-2012), while working with a social issues committee at the Unitarian Church of San Francisco in the mid-1950's. Dale put his exceptional sign-painting skills to work for many of the anti-war demonstrations of the 1960's.
He met his second wife, JoMarie King (1927-2013), while working with a progressive organization to feed the homeless of San Jose, CA.
Dale is survived by his sister, Delores J. Braden of Willits, CA, his daughter, Annalisa Guthridge of San Mateo, CA, his son, Pip R Lagenta of San Francisco, CA, his step-daughter, Donna Day, of Willits, CA, and his step-son, Jim King of San Jose, CA. Dale will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He is in our hearts forever.
Jenna Mammina sings "Smile". Steven Strauss is on ukulele. Charlie Chaplin composed the music for "Smile" around about 1936. Lyrics were added in 1954 by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons. This performance was recorded at the service celebrating my father's life. June 14, 2014; Willits, California.
Vernon Dale Tripp
1924 - 2014
Vernon Dale Tripp died March 6, 2014, in Willits, CA, after a short illness. Friends and family were at his bedside. He was 89 years old, just a few weeks short of his ninetieth birthday. Dale was born on March 24, 1924 in Spokane, Washington.
At age ten, Dale contracted poliomyelitis ("Polio") which left him with no working muscles in his left leg. He graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1942. Unable to enlist in the armed forces due to his bad leg, in the summer of 1942, Dale rode his bicycle from Santa Cruz, California, to Seattle, Washington, (1000 miles) to work in the shipyards alongside his father (Rama Forest Tripp, 1897-1978) as a Marine Wireman. He made the trip in ten days.
Dale had been trained in drafting while he attended Santa Cruz High School. The drafting trade served Dale well throughout his life. He worked as a mechanical draftsman for many employers, including the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bethlehem Steel, Lockheed Aircraft, Insul-8 Corp. (San Carlos, CA), and Unisys (Santa Clara, CA), among others.
Dale had excellent lettering skills and worked as a professional sign-painter in the early 1950's.
He also had a strong sense of social justice. He worked to advance the progressive movement throughout his adult life. Dale met his first wife, Eleanor J. Wright (1918-2012), while working with a social issues committee at the Unitarian Church of San Francisco in the mid-1950's. Dale put his exceptional sign-painting skills to work for many of the anti-war demonstrations of the 1960's.
He met his second wife, JoMarie King (1927-2013), while working with a progressive organization to feed the homeless of San Jose, CA.
Dale is survived by his sister, Delores J. Braden of Willits, CA, his daughter, Annalisa Guthridge of San Mateo, CA, his son, Pip R Lagenta of San Francisco, CA, his step-daughter, Donna Day, of Willits, CA, and his step-son, Jim King of San Jose, CA. Dale will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He is in our hearts forever.
