Columbus, OH — Jerry R. Kipp, 84, died April 24, 2024, at his home with his family by his side after a two year battle with cancer.

He was born June 27, 1939, in Rome, N.Y., to Henry and Gretchen (Conover). A 1957 graduate of Vernon Verona Sherrill High School, he went to Cornell University and was certified in Practical Horseshoeing in 1959.

For the next 62 years, he worked at and was a fixture at Vernon Downs, gradually “retiring” to Wildewood Farm. After moving from Rome to Verona in 1974, he built the 130 acre farm from the ground up.

On Dec. 12, 1962 he married Nancy Gochee in Vernon, N.Y. During the 1960s and 1970s he and Nancy showed his Arabian stallion Rdamkin and bred and showed Morgan horses. A member of the Master Horshoer Association, they bred, boarded, and raced Standardbreds.

He was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rome.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Nancy; son, Henry Hazen; sisters, Diana March, Ramona (Donald) Carver, Pamela Martinelli, and Karyn (Rick) Patton; as well as several nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday (April 29) at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, Rome. There are no calling hours.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care, 7277 Middle Settlement Road, New Hartford, NY 13413.