Kenneth William Gipe

Kenneth William Gipe, 78, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2025 in Port Charlotte, Florida, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He and his wife Diane split their time over the last several years between Lakeside, Ohio and Port Charlotte. He was born on November 15, 1947 to Kenneth Wayne and Mary Elizabeth (Christie) Gipe in Toledo, Ohio. After graduating from Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio and the University of Toledo, he started his 30-year career with the Port Clinton City Schools teaching Physical Education and American History, primarily at Port Clinton High School. He also coached junior high and high school girls volleyball, junior high and high school swimming, and high school boys golf throughout his career. He married Patricia (Pat) Anne (Edler) on November 25, 1970, and together they created a family and an amazing life in Port Clinton until Pat’s passing on December 19, 2014. On March 18, 2017, Ken married Diane Durholt Hohman of Findlay, Ohio, and joined her joyfully large family of four children and their spouses, children, and grandchildren. They spent over nine wonderful years together traveling, playing Santa and Mrs. Claus, and spending time with their friends and families. He was welcomed into Heaven by his first wife Pat, as well as other family members who preceded him in death: his parents and parents-in-law, brother David (Candy) Gipe of Charlotte, North Carolina, sons Kenneth Scott (d. August 16, 1972) and Steven Patrick (d. March 28, 2022), one unborn daughter, and stepson Nathan (Jenny) Hohman (d. March 10, 2023) of Findlay, Ohio. He is lovingly remembered every day by his daughter Christie (Keith) Kuhlmann and their children Brandon and Katie of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, Steve’s ex-wife Sarah Gipe and their daughters Maura and Adelyn Gipe of Columbus, Ohio, brother Douglas (Beth) Gipe of Pittsboro, North Carolina, Pat’s siblings Helen (Larry) Gross, Carol (Jeff) Bobak, Terri Edler, and Paul (Kris) Edler; and fourteen nieces and nephews as well as their children; wife Diane Durholt Hohman, and her children Derek (DiAnna) Hohman, Mya (Mike) Gibson, and Jared Hohman, fourteen grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.

Ken spent the majority of his life in service to others via teaching and coaching; his goal was always to help positively shape young people into contributing members of society, however they chose to give back. He began as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Boys Club in East Toledo when he was in high school, continuing at Port Clinton City Schools as a swimming and diving coach, where he stayed involved with the PCHS Swim Program until his death. He taught untold thousands of children (and a few adults) in Northwest Ohio and beyond how to swim in the Swim Lesson Program he ran every summer until he retired in 2000. He started teaching lessons again and working at the Lakeside Pool when it opened in 2017, and continued to work at the pool until the summer before his death. During and after his tenure as a swim coach, swimming and diving official for high school and college meets including the NCAA Championships every year, active involvement with the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA), and the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), he received recognition and awards too numerous to mention. Most notably, he served as NISCA’s President 1993-1995, and was a founding member and commissioner of the Northwest Ohio Aquatic Conference (NWOAC). He was awarded the OHSAA Sportsmanship, Ethics, and Integrity Award in 1997 and was inducted into the Ohio High School Swim Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003 and the PCHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. He received the Ohio High School Swim Coaches Association (OHSSCA) Larry Lyons award in 2000, and the Carl Wirthwein Award in 2005, which is considered the highest honor of all awards given by OHSSCA; it is given annually to an individual who has significantly contributed to high school swimming and diving in Ohio. Perhaps the distinction he was most honored to receive was having the “Port Clinton Relays” swim meet renamed the “Ken Gipe Relays” upon his retirement from teaching and coaching at PCHS. He stayed involved with the Relays, serving as Meet Manager until 2023. Ken, along with first wife Pat who was his steadfast supporter and partner in all things teaching, coaching, and parenting, was also an active and faithful member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Port Clinton, where he served as an usher and Church Council member.

“Coach Gipe”, as he was lovingly called by so many, will be remembered at a funeral service at St. John’s on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 11:30am, followed by a Celebration of Life at the Catawba Island Club Harbour Room in Port Clinton from 1:30-4:30pm. A private burial will be held at Lakeview Cemetery in Port Clinton on Monday July 13, 2026. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Ken Gipe Memorial Swim Scholarship which will be awarded annually to a deserving high school senior on the

PCHS Swim Team. Checks can be made out and sent to the Port Clinton Athletic Boosters at P.O. Box 3, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452; please add “Gipe Scholarship” to the check memo.