Lawrence Phipps III ’55

Lawrence’s eclectic life ended Sept. 2, 2016, at age 82. Born Oct. 28, 1933, he grew up in Denver, then in Highlands Ranch, Colo. He spent his teenage years working on cattle and sheep ranches.

At Princeton, he majored in Russian and Turkish. He served in Army intelligence and as a translator during the 1958 crisis in Lebanon. A natural polyglot, he spoke Russian, Turkish, Arabic, German, Spanish, and French; as a lifelong student of history, he was a gifted storyteller. His real-estate firm specialized in commercial real estate.

Flamenco music was a lifelong passion. He traveled annually to Spain to seek out flamenco artists and collect guitars.

Lawrence, committed since his teens to the life of a horseman, was appointed joint master of the Arapahoe Hunt, a foxhunt. Polo was another of his passions. In both the foxhunt and polo communities, he is remembered for introducing an abundance of new members to the clubs. In the 1980s, he began raising Limousin cattle, continuing until his death.

Lawrence is survived by his wife of 20 years, Marie; and son Lawrence IV ’89. Lawrence and Marie hosted memorable Tuesday-evening dinner parties. He will be remembered for his sharp wit, his storytelling gift, and his cultivated curiosity about others.