John Martin Kipp II, 79, a retired businessman and resident of Severna Park, died of natural causes March 27 at Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Mr. Kipp was the fifth generation of his family to own the business, Kipp and Son, begun by his great-great-grandfather George Kipp in 1865. The business, at 1605 Eastern Ave. in Baltimore, was a wholesale leather goods firm supplying shoemakers in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The business changed during a modernization and included sales of televisions and security cameras. Mr. Kipp retired in 1993.

Born in Baltimore on Sept. 13, 1925, he was a resident of Severna Park for more than 50 years. His interests included furniture crafting, the art of bonsai and offshore fishing in Ocean City.

Surviving are his wife, Ann Urie Kipp; one daughter, Sabrina Kipp Corden of Pennsylvania; one son, John M. Kipp III of the Florida Keys; and one grandson.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Services and burial are private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403. Online condolences may be made to www.barrancofuneralhome.com.

As Published in the Capital newspaper Annapolis Maryland on 3/29/2005