Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette Andrew 'Tippy' Tirpak waits on a customer at his store, Tippy's Dairy Mart in Homestead before his retirement in 2000.

Andrew "Tippy" Tirpak, former owner of the popular Tippy's Dairy Market in Homestead, died yesterday from complications related to colon cancer. He was 89.

Mr. Tirpak's daughter, Barbara Brennan of Munhall, said her father spent the last few weeks at Forbes Hospice in Oakland.

Mr. Tirpak, of Munhall, was born in New Jersey but moved to Homestead with his family before he was 1 year old.

Mr. Tirpak attended school in Homestead, but left before completing to help his family.

Times were tough, so he sold apples before starting a business selling newspapers. He had four other people working for him.

"He wanted to be his own boss even at a young age," said Ms. Brennan. "He also delivered coal to people for their furnace. He was a hard-working person. He worked seven days a week."

Later, Mr. Tirpak worked as a stock boy at Kohut's Market. It was there that he learned to manage and operate a business.

In 1938, Mr. Tirpak married his late wife, Elsie. The couple had four children.

In the early 1940s, Mr. Tirpak worked as a machinist for U.S. Steel in Homestead.

Still, Mr. Tirpak was determined to make a go of it on his own

In 1945, while still working at U.S. Steel, he opened Tippy's Dairy Market at Mifflin Street and East 15th Avenue. He maintained the store for 55 years until he sold it in 2000.

Shortly after opening, Mr. Tirpak was joined by his older brother, Michael, who had just returned from serving in World War II. Michael worked at the market until his death in 1992.

Mr. Tirpak wasn't shy about talking about the chipped ham at his market.

"We had the best chipped ham," he told the Post-Gazette in an interview when the store was being sold. "We had people come from everywhere for it. They'd buy ours by the caseloads, from Boston to California to Hawaii.

In the heyday of Tippy's Dairy, Mr. Tirpak sold a weekly average of 10 48-pound cases of chipped ham.

Mr. Tirpak also was known for valuing his customers.

He paid some of his customers' water, electric and gas bills during a 118-day steel strike.

If that wasn't enough, he also allowed customers to run up their bills and when they paid it off, he'd give them a cake.

After selling the store in 2000, Mr. Tirpak did a little traveling, but mostly spent time with family.

In addition to Barbara, Mr. Tirpak is survived by another daughter, Mary Beth Hamill of Munhall, and a son, Drew Tirpak of Munhall.

Mr. Tirpak is also survived by three sisters, Sister Benita OSF of Reading Berks County, Dorothy Shiflett and Veronica Kolcun, both of West Mifflin.

Visitation is tomorrow and Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at R.V. Anderson Funeral Home, 10th Avenue, Homestead.

A funeral Mass is scheduled for Thursday at St. Therese Church, Main Street, Munhall.