| Officer Kip Draper’s brothers and son serve as pall bearers. |
Services were held for Conservation Officer, Kip Draper in Castle Dale on Thursday. Officer Draper was found dead in Straight Canyon on Jan. 25 while on duty checking trap lines.
Kip’s brother Tim Draper recalled early days and happy memories from their childhood. He thanked everyone for coming and said it was a great tribute to Kip. Kip was given his nickname in childhood and it stuck. He recalled Kip’s joy at becoming an eagle scout and a trip to Hawaii to pick pineapples. The time away from home deepened his love for his family. Kip had an adventurous spirit, one time he jumped off a cliff at Lake Powell and compressed his back.
Kip loved Louis L’Amour books and named his child Tappan after a character in one of L’Amour’s books. Kip loved being outdoors in nature. Kip never bragged and had a continuous grin and smile and he was always happy to see his family. “Kip was real and vibrant, we will miss him.”
Kip’s son, Ryan Draper spoke and said his mom and dad met after his dad’s mission. They were married in 1986 and had three sons and two daughters. They lived in Logan, Washington, Bountiful and in Orangeville. He said he asked his Mom for memories and she said whenever Kip was sick he would wrap up in a blanket and stuff toilet paper in his nose. Kip loved to play cards and Kaden loved to hear dad’s laugh. The family loved spending time in the outdoors with Dad learning how to shoot guns and fish. Kip grew up around boys and he had to learn to entertain girls and found out they like to go to lunch. Kip liked to chase the boys around the neighborhood and put the cop moves on and “it kinda hurt,” said Ryan.
“He loved to wrestle and to tease. The gospel was important to him and being an eternal family was important to him. We are going to miss him and we love him and want to return to him someday,” said his son, Ryan.
Sgt.Carl Gramlich, Kip’s supervisor with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said Kip was adventurous and he touched the lives of all he met. “Kip had a great work ethic and concern for the resource. The Salt Lake law enforcement wanted a biography from all the wildlife officers and I told everyone what they needed to do and I received an email from Kip and it contained four sentences. It said, ‘Hi, my name is Kip Draper and I am a conservation officer in Emery County. I have been here a little over a year and I am as happy as a clam, living the life of a poor civil servant.’ When I asked Kip about what he’d written he said what’s wrong with it.” Sgt. Gramlich said how much they were going to miss Kip.
Kip’s brother, Tad Draper said that Kip lost his father while he was on his mission. Kip developed friendships strong and fast. Kip had a lot of struggles, but he was strong and kind. He used his passion and testimony to get through things. Through his experiences he became a good judge of character. He had a passion for his family and loved them very much and he loved the gospel. He was wise and stuck to his morals and principles. He loved to smile and he loved his wife. When I think of the two of them together, I think of the Garth Brooks song, “The Dance. ‘I’m glad I didn’t know the way it all would end, the way it all would go, I could of missed the pain but I would of had to miss the dance.’ Kip loved his family and will always be close to them,” said Tad.
Bishop Roger Swenson conducted the services and concluded them with a few remarks about Kip and his family, he described him as a faithful member of the church and always ready to help out in any situation. “Kip has been called to assist elsewhere. Our Heavenly Father calls his children home when the time is right, the Lord has called and Brother Kip has answered,” said Bishop Swenson.
A large group of officers from around the state gathered to show their last respects to Officer Draper and a motorcade of police and wildlife resources vehicles traveled to his final resting place in Bountiful.