Mourning Mom
Joanna Lippert, mother of VT legislator, passes

     On February 12, Joanna Lippert died after years of struggle with cancer. Her son Bill Lippert is the openly gay member of the Vermont legislature who has championed our causes with competence, dignity, and class in the face of outrageous insult and homophobia.

Howdie Russell of Hinesburg, a longtime friend of the family, said, “Both of Bill’s parents were amazing in the way they grew,” said. “One of Bill’s brothers is also gay, and his mom said once that she and his father were ‘doubly blessed.’”

Both of Bill’s parents were active in the United Methodist Church, his (late) father as a minister in various parishes in Pennsylvania. Bill Lippert said, “She was so active in the church – people have said that if it weren’t for sexism she would have been an ordained minister herself. The way she expressed her Christian faith and love of the church was through trying to change it.” Joanna Lippert was a moderator, board member and very active member of the speakers bureau of PFLAG of Central Pennsylvania. “She was smart, warm, welcoming of people into their home, a person of complete integrity,” recalled Russell.

She has left just that legacy to us in the person of her son Bill. With him we mourn her passing and give thanks for her life.