Family, friends mourn woman killed by lightning

By Kipp Hanley

Published: July 8, 2008

Stephanie Dawn Kirpes had a blind cat that her father said most people would have had put down. But it wasn’t in the 23-year-old’s makeup to hurt anything.

“She wanted to help people with their problems and addictions, help better their lives,” said Michael Kirpes.

On Monday, Dawn Kirpes, of Woodbridge, was struck by lightning and killed in a sudden afternoon storm in Virginia Beach. The 2003 Forest Park High School graduate was jogging along the beach a little over a mile away from a friend’s vacation home when the accident occurred.

Kirpes had just graduated in May from Mary Washington University with a degree in psychology and was on her “last hurrah” before looking at graduate school and her career options, said Michael.

“She was the absolute joy of our lives,” Michael Kirpes said. “ ...We were her parents but we were also dear friends of hers.”

Kirpes leaves behind her parents Michael and Deborah and older sisters Jennifer, Eva and Melanie. 

While at Forest Park, Kirpes was a member of the cheerleading squad as well as the French Club. She also worked briefly at the Dumfries Animal Hospital a few years ago. That’s where current practice manager Becky Ash came to know Kirpes’ love of pets despite working with her for just two months.

“She was really passionate about animals,” Ash said. “I think she did some rescue work outside of her job. Ultimately, I think she wanted to work with people.”

While at Mary Washington, Kirpes also made quite an impression on some of her faculty. Denis Nissim-Sabat, who taught Kirpes History of Psychology, said she was a “wonderful student.”

“She was extremely conscientious and took her education seriously,” Nissim-Sabat said. “She was always cheerful and a delight to have in class. What a terrible tragedy.”

Her departmental academic advisor, Roy Smith, said she was extremely excited to graduate with her degree after receiving her associates degree at Northern Virginia Community College.

“She was a very nice young lady,” Smith said. “It was something of a shock to know that her life ended so quickly. She was very excited to get her full, four-year degree. That was a big thing for her.”

Kirpes will be buried Saturday at Woodbine Cemetery in Manassas after an 11 a.m. funeral service. Funeral home visitations have not been set yet but will be held at Miller Funeral Home in Woodbridge.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.