Ronald F. Lipton, esteemed friend and community “voice” on the mountaintop, passed away on January 22 following a fall in his Lexington home where he lived since 2006. Born in 1940 and raised in New York and Connecticut, Ron thrived on the outdoors, inventiveness, and political engagement. He served as co-chair of the Lexington Town Democratic Committee. Ron is survived by his daughter, Jessica Duffey in Colorado, recently married to Scott Duffey, with whom he shared the love of mountains, science, growing things, and all-around handiness, and his younger brother, Warren, in Montreal.
Ron was at home in the world. His travels spanned continents and cultures. College friends tell stories about a spring break getaway led by Ron. The four 19-year-olds hitched a mail-boat to a rugged Caribbean island, camped-out, and lived on fresh fish, thanks to Ron with his spear-fishing equipment. In the late 1960s, as a young professor at NYU, Ron taught political science and organized resistance against the Vietnam War with the nearby Washington Square Methodist Church. In the early 70’s, he signed on to the global humanitarian organization, CARE, and spent several years in Iran. His work there centered on long-term development such as strengthening rural infrastructure in partnership with local authorities and establishing health education and nutrition centers.
Back in the US, Ron headed to California. In this period of fiscal stress and oil crises (1973 and 1979), Gerry Brown was elected governor and Ron became an advisor. Ron’s passions and principles matched Brown’s first term goals (1970’s-early 80’s): environmental initiatives, collective bargaining for public employees including teachers, and safe-guarding farmers’ rights. The nation’s first program to promote rooftop solar was created, along with the California Conservation Corps (CCC) to employ young people in environmental projects. Ron added aquaculture, i.e. fish spawning in irrigation ditches. Ronald Reagan’s time had begun, Brown lost his bid for a 2nd term, and Ron came back east. He started a family in Florida and, of course, relished the fishing. And he kept serving. He developed an innovative charter school, took on management of a medical clinic for low-income communities, and helped spot the false claims and overcharging of Medicare fraud.
The move to upstate NY was barely retirement. He dropped in with plantings or snacks (from his dehydrator or favorite Asian and Mid-Eastern sources) and always had ideas for outings. If a friend spoke of a broken appliance, Ron came by with tools. Neighbors whose small businesses or social services were mired in bureaucratic red tape sought him out. So did candidates from Greene and other counties’ races. He listened to community members’ needs. He brought like-minded acquaintances together to make a difference locally/ politically. Investigating utility companies, he drew on his knowledge of regulations, observed certain sites’ lax oversight, and was able to shed light on price-gouging. And Ron’s curiosity and travel continued, notably, trips to Sri Lanka and the study of Buddhism, befriending a monk who visited during several summers, offering meditation sessions for mountain toppers.
Ron’s gift was to be able to hold an unflinching focus on harsh realities side-by-side with countless exuberant pursuits and pleasures — and anything involving dogs especially rescue dogs. He was the buddy who almost always said YES! to a meal, movie, music event, or unmarked Catskill trail, whipping out his compass. He served up stews in Iranian tajines. He crafted a small waterfall from an underground spring. To protect bird feeders, he jerry-rigged squirrel baffles (soda bottles).
Measured and pragmatic, Ron tended to be low-key, but his moral compass and clarity in tough situations were invaluable.
To quote Jonathan Gross, friend and fellow advocate: “'How many of us have the courage to stand for our beliefs, no matter the consequences—to truly shape the world we live in? Ron was fiercely committed to upsetting the apple cart when it came to change. I think he wanted to wake us up! He could be impatient with us mere mortals. He refused to let us remain too comfortable, too settled. And yet, beneath that grizzled exterior lived a streak of humor and deep humanity. Ron was a true agent of change, and as cantankerous as he could be, his activism was rooted in the fundamental belief that, deep down, people are good and decent. That belief is what made him such a compelling force. It’s what allowed him to carry on—often against great odds—pushing the needle forward despite constant headwinds. I feel his absence now. I miss the presence of that unseen force—the tap on the shoulder, the soft hum in the background of my own activism—a reminder to do better.'
(A mountaintop memorial for Ron Lipton in the Spring will soon be in the works. Stay tuned.)