Drinda Harris Sipprell Obituary (1945 - 2026)

Born Jan 17, 1945, Drinda Harris Sipprell attended LaSalle Senior High School in Niagara Falls, NY. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Drinda Harris Sipprell.

Graduation Year	Class of 1962
Date of Birth	Jan 17, 1945
Date of Passing	Jan 13, 2026
About	Drinda Jeanne Harris Sipprell Clemmons Drinda Jeanne Harris Sipprell, 80, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2026, after a long battle with congestive heart failure and related complications. Drinda was born in Rochester, New York on January 17, 1945, to the late Edward E. Harris and Gladys Sesler Harris. Drinda grew up in the Rochester area and moved to Niagara Falls, NY in 1960. She learned to water ski in the Niagara River and enjoyed ice skating on the frozen streets of her neighborhood. She was a graduate of LaSalle High School (class of 1962). She followed her parents to Bethany College where she met the love of her life, Robert D. (Bob) Sipprell Jr. She was captain of the cheerleading team, Homecoming Queen and a member of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority. She graduated in 1966 with a BS in Biology. Bob and Drinda were married on August 20, 1966, and enjoyed 59 wonderful years of marriage. They moved to East Lansing, Michigan, while Bob was earning an MBA and Drinda worked as a research assistant in the physiology department of Michigan State University. After East Lansing, the couple lived in Rochester, NY and later Detroit, MI before moving to Clemmons in 1977. Drinda had a passion for music and was a faithful member of the Clemmons United Methodist Church Chancel Choir for over 40 years. She started the handbell choir, directed the handbell choir and rang bells for many years. Drinda and two dear friends (Martha Bowers and Kathy Dotson) formed a trio called Tapestry and performed both in church and at outside venues dressed in poodle skirts singing Doo Wop music. Drinda loved the outdoors, camping, canoeing, horseback riding, walking the beach looking for shells and birdwatching. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, dog mom and cherished any time with family. Her cookies and desserts are legendary in the family. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother Edward Harris. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Bob; sons, Robert III (Chantelle) of Charlotte and David (Kyla) of Clemmons; granddaughters, Summer of Jamestown, NC, Sophie of Tampa, FL, Cayson of Raleigh, and Caleigh of Chapel Hill; and step grandson‘s, Jay of Charlotte and Aidan of Raleigh. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Lyn Wooten for her loving care for so many months and the members of the Davie Team at Trellis Supportive Care. A celebration of life reception will be held Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 3-5 p.m. at the Historic Broyhill Building at 3540 Clemmons Rd. in Clemmons, NC. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Shallow Ford Foundation, Community Fund; P.O. Box 567, Clemmons, NC 27012.

Classmate Memories

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Tom Wallace '62 said:

They did not come sweeter, or prettier for that matter. Fun date too

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Carol Dutton '62 said:

I really liked Drinda a lot! I knew her from high school and ice skating - she was quite good at it! She was a sweetheart!

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