Richard A. "Topper" Topp, 1941-2015
Richard A. "Topper" Topp, age 73, passed away Sunday, September 6, 2015 He was born in Holland on November 4, 1941 to William & Ruth (Kolean) Topp Jr. and married the former Mary McMahon on October 19, 1963.
Mr. Topp graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and was a member of SAE Fraternity. Topper enjoyed his work as a Controller for Kaydon, Muskegon Piston Ring and then Webb Chemical until retiring in 2007. Richard was a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church and was a board member of the Muskegon Catholic Education Foundation. He was a past president of the Institute of Management Accountants, chairman on the North Muskegon Planning Commission, was on the Muskegon Community College Advisory Council, and the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee.
Topper had an immeasurable passion for golf. He was a member of both White Lake Golf Club and Muskegon Country Club where he served as past President and on various committees. Topper was a past president and on the Board of Governors of the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM). He was a golf tournament rules official who championed Junior Golf and brought GAM & USGA events to the Muskegon Country Club. Dick received both the GAM Distinguished Service Award and the Muskegon Area Sport Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award this year. Muskegon Country Club recently renamed the Junior Golf program the Richard Topp Junior Golf Academy.
Survivors include, wife of 51 years, Mary; daughter, Trish (Mike) Bond of Ada; son, Rick (Michelle) Topp of North Muskegon; grandchildren, Tate, Tess & Ellie Bond, Levi & William Topp; brother, William Topp III of Mesick; sister, Mary (Bob) Toppen of Holland; several nieces & nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Memorial Mass will be Saturday, September 12, 2015, 10 a.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church with Fr. Anthony Pelak officiating. Visitation will be Friday, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. at Clock Funeral Home-Muskegon and Saturday, one hour prior to the service at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers please consider giving to Richard Topp Junior Golf Academy. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.
Published in the Holland Sentinel, September 10, 2015
|
Joe Parsons (1961)
I'm sorry to hear of "Toppers" passing. I believe he was fighting cancer and I'm sure was a fighter up to the end. Unfortunately as we all age, a trend develops where you begin losing your family members, friends, and the SAE Brothers who you spent many good times with during your college years. But as Edward Young in Night Thoughts said, "Our birth is nothing but our death begun." And when you hear of the death of someone we know, it always reminds us that we are still alive.....perhaps for some purpose which we ought to re-examine (paraphrased from Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960. Rest in pease, Topper.
Joe Parsons
Carl Kucsera (1961)
Carl Kucsera 1961
Dick and I were not only brothers in the same pledge class, but also room mates in 1962-63 at the Vine Street Apartments, lots good times! Over the last ten to fifteen years we got back in touch with each other and would get together with our wives, his Mary (Mickey) mine Carolyn once or twice a year. We got to see them in early August of this year after his diagnosis leukemia (his second bout with cancer) and he was as upbeat as ever. As we were leaving the restaurant parking lot in separate cars, he pulled over by mine and pulled a sand wedge out of his trunk of his car and asked me to take it, saying it had worked well for him over the years - I will cherish that old club forever. Dick was a good man and a good friend!
Larry Wittkop (1961)
Topper was also my roommate at the Vine Street garage apartment, along with Carl and Bob (head) Kent. What a time we had. Our bedroom was dark 24/7 and we didn't know what lived in their when we all went to class. Over the years Topper and I would get together, but somehow we never played golf together, but we both talked a good game. A few years back my wife Barb and I met the Topps at the Masters. Dick was a frequent visitor there and showed us the ropes of where to go and where to sit. Dick called me from the hospital the week before he passed and apolgized for missing our lunch date..I will certainly miss Topper, but I know he is in a good place.
Phi Alpha
Larry Wittkop