Jane Fishburne Hipp

Jane was the wife of the late Herman Neel Hipp, who predeceased her in 1984.

Born in Walterboro, SC on April 21, 1923, Jane was the daughter of South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Edward Ladson Fishburne and Mary Patterson Gage Fishburne.

She attended Converse College and graduated from the University of South Carolina, where she was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. During World War II Jane worked at the Ration Board. She was a great supporter of education, and was part of a small group that established Christ Church Episcopal School in 1959. Her five children and many of her 18 grandchildren attended CCES. Jane was a lifelong member of the Junior League of Greenville, the Poinsett Club and Green Valley Country Club.

She and her husband were charter members of The Debutante Club of Greenville. Jane was a philanthropist who established scholarships at Furman, Wofford and the United Negro College Fund. In honor of her husband, Herman, Jane made the launching gift in 1998 for Herman N. Hipp Hall at Furman University. She was a member of the United Way Tocqueville Society and a long time supporter of both Converse College and the Greenville Humane Society.

Jane and Herman made many significant and lasting contributions to Greenville. Jane joined her friends monthly for the Liberty Bells Luncheon (wives of the leadership at Liberty Life.) She also enjoyed tennis, crossword puzzles, and had a voracious appetite for reading. Jane loved spending time with family and friends at their Lake Summit home, as well as her family’s home in Blowing Rock. Jane adored her husband, Herman, and she was a great source of support to him in his career as a leader at Liberty Life Insurance Company, a company which was founded by his father, William Franklin Hipp.

Jane was a wonderful mother and an excellent role model to her five children. She was a fun loving grandmother who reveled in spending time with her 18 grandchildren. Family was the most important thing in her life, and Jane passed on enduring lessons that will be remembered long after she is gone. Perhaps the greatest compliment that could be paid to her is that Jane did so much for so many, never asking anything in return.

Besides her parents and husband, Jane was predeceased by her brothers Lucius Gaston Fishburne and Madison Howell, both of Walterboro, SC, as well as a sister Harriet Howell Stringfellow of Chester, SC.

She is survived by sisters Margaret “Sissie” Howell McAngus of Greenville and Martha Howell Guess of Denmark, SC.

Jane is also survived by her five children, Herman Neel Hipp, Jr. and his wife Scott, Jane Gage Hipp Caulder and her husband Larry all of Greenville, Mary Ladson Hipp Haddow and her husband David, William Franklin Hipp and his wife Anne, all of Atlanta, GA, and Edward Fishburne Hipp of Hendersonville, NC.

Jane’s 18 grandchildren are Corinne “Corie” Fishburne Hipp Erdman and her husband Cole, Herman Neel Hipp III, Timmons Hipp Hendricks and her husband Blair, William Richardson Hipp and his wife Candice, Jane Fishburne Haddow McLaughen and her husband Heath, Anne Jardine Haddow Freeman and her husband Matt, Ladson Hipp Haddow and his wife Caroline, Stuart Forbes Haddow, Heather Hipp Byrnes and her husband Blake, Sarah Gage Hipp, Mary Franklin Hipp, Edward Ladson Hipp, Hannah Green Hipp, Andrew Clayton Caulder, Mary Gage Caulder, Pryce Hipp Caulder, Jeffrey Paul Caulder and Cameron Neel Caulder. Jane’s great grandchildren are Ellison Scott Hendricks, Mary Ladson McLaughen, James Henry McLaughen, Wilson Gage Freeman, George Calhoun Freeman, Bailey Elizabeth Byrnes and Lucile Patterson Haddow.

The family wants to share their love and loss with Janis Jenkins and Mary Kilgore, who have been dear friends to Jane and her family for 15 years.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Church on Monday May 11 at 2:00.

Following the service, the family will receive friends at the Poinsett Club. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Wofford College, Furman University or the charity of their choice.