Margaret Ann Zipp

Margaret Ann (Akers) Zipp died on Tuesday, December 30, 2014, in her home in College Station, Texas. Margaret Ann was born to Robert Wood Akers and Edna Margaret Wallace Akers on April 14, 1930, in Beaumont, Texas. She was 84.

Educated in Beaumont public schools, Margaret Ann graduated from Beaumont High School in 1947. She attended Lamar Junior College (now Lamar University) and received an associate of arts degree in 1949. She continued her education at Texas State College for Women (now Texas Woman’s University) in Denton, Texas. During her senior year, she served as editor of the Daedalian Quarterly, a literary magazine, and was a member of the Caperettes, a dance team. In May 1951, she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

While a student at Lamar College, Margaret Ann met, dated, fell in love with and became engaged to marry Charles Willis Zipp, her soulmate. Charles, who was a member of the Texas National Guard, had the opportunity to take the competitive examination for entrance to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and received the highest grade in Texas. He was appointed to the academy by then-Gov. Beauford Jester and entered in July 1949.

After receiving her degree, Margaret Ann went to New York to be nearer to Charles at West Point. With the BA in her pocket, she still had to learn typing and shorthand at the Scudder School in Greenwich Village before she was equipped to apply for jobs. After two months at Scudder, she landed a job on LIFE magazine, where she was employed until she and Charles finally were married on June 2, 1953, Charles’ graduation day. Their military wedding was held in the Cadet Chapel at West Point.

After a honeymoon in the Laurentian Mountains in Canada, the young couple reported for duty at Fort Benning, Georgia, where Charles took infantry basic training and graduated from Ranger School. Their first child, Charles Albert Zipp III, was born in Beaumont while Charles was attending Ranger School in the mountains of Georgia. The first son born to a member of the Class of ’53, Albert is the class godson.

Charles departed for his first duty assignment with the 371st Armored Infantry Battalion in Nürnberg, Germany. Margaret Ann and Albert followed him in August 1954.

The Zipps remained in Nürnberg until February 1957, before returning home with his new unit, the 3rd Armored Cavalry, as part of Operation Gyroscope, an experiment, which moved entire units together on one ship. By then, they had welcomed a second son, Frederick Stoll Zipp, born on June 27, 1955, in Nürnberg. The 3rd Cav was assigned to Fort Knox, Kentucky, where the family lived until 1961. Now a first lieutenant, Charles was transferred to the Post Visitors’ Bureau, which saw to the foreign dignitaries who were frequent guests at Fort Knox, the Home of Armor. Margaret Ann wrote a column for Inside the Turret, a weekly newspaper at Fort Knox, and volunteered as a Red Cross staff aide. The family always was active in the various Episcopal congregations they attended over the years.

In August 1961, it was back to Nürnberg, where Charles joined the staff of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Merrell Barracks for another three-year tour of duty. Margaret Ann served as president of the German American Woman’s Club of Nürnberg-Fürth and was active in American Women’s Activities in Germany, a European Theater-wide women’s organization. She also gave birth to a third son, Robert Von Weise Zipp, who arrived on December 10, 1962.

Charles’ next step was a three-year assignment as instructor of military science at Texas A&M University, and the family moved to College Station in 1963. When Charles served a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1967-68, Margaret Ann and the boys remained in College Station.

The family spent a year in Norfolk, Virginia, while Charles attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, then moved to Alexandria, Virginia, in 1969 while Charles was assigned to the Pentagon. In 1972, the family returned to Germany for the culmination of Charles’ career, executive officer of the 2nd Armored Cavalry.

At all those stops, Margaret Ann continued her work as a homemaker and the various activities expected of an Army wife. She excelled at both.

When Charles retired in 1976, the family — by then only Bob remained at home — moved back to College Station. Charles earned a masters degree in urban planning from A&M and took a job at the Texas Transportation Institute. Margaret Ann started a two-decade career at The Eagle as a copy editor and author of It’s Like This, a daily column devoted to local residents and their accomplishments.

Meanwhile, Charles and Margaret Ann embraced travel whenever possible, eventually visiting all seven continents. Ultimately, though, Alzheimer’s disease forced Charles into a nursing home, and he died in 2004. The loss of Charles robbed Margaret Ann of her greatest joy. Nonetheless, she spent her last 10 years keeping up with family and friends. She expanded her role as a philanthropist, making large gifts to St. Thomas Episcopal Church and the U.S. Military Academy, as well as numerous smaller gifts.

Margaret Ann is survived by three sons, their wives and six grandchildren: Albert and Raschell Zipp of Aurora, West Virginia; Fred and Jodi Zipp of Austin; Bob and Frederika Zipp of San Francisco, California; Charles Zipp of Austin; Robert Zipp of San Marcos; Olivia Wellborn of Bellingham, Washington; Emily Zipp of Austin; O.G. Wellborn of Austin; and Alex Zipp of San Francisco.

A funeral service will occur at the Old Cadet Chapel, U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., 1:30 P.M., Tuesday, January 13, 2015 followed by interment at the post Cemetery. A memorial service is scheduled at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 12:00 P.M., Friday, January 16, 2015 .

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions in Margaret Ann’s memory to St. Thomas Episcopal Church in College Station or the U.S. Military Academy.