Todd Alan Phipps loved playing the organ so much that even his colleagues in the department of laboratory animal medicine knew about his passion.

“He always talked about it, playing a big pipe organ for his church,” said Sean Sullivan, director of the division of laboratory animal medicine.

Mr. Phipps, who graduated from Salem High School in 1974 and earned a psychology degree from Nasson College in Springvale, Maine in 1978, died Aug. 10 from what appeared to have been a heart attack. He was 48.

Mr. Phipps worked in the department as an office administrator for seven years and was also taking classes at Northeastern. When he was not playing the organ or furthering his education, Mr. Phipps worked with researchers in getting paperwork in order and protocals approved, Sullivan said.

Mr. Phipps was also the organist for the First Universalist Church in Salem. His mother, Phyllis, of Clermont, Fla., said music was one of her son’s passions and he had previously played with other renowned musicians.

“He was very much involved with music,” his mother said. “He played with a well known organist in Boston.”

Mr. Phipps was born in Salem. When he was 14 years old, he worked at the Willow’s Amusement Park in Salem. His mother said when he was younger he was very outgoing.

“He was just easy to get along with, fun to be with and he liked working with people,” his mother said.

Those sentiments were echoed by Mr. Phipps’ colleagues at Northeastern.

“Todd was a very friendly guy. He was laid back, he would never get flustered, he was very consistent and just a great person,” Sullivan said.

Mr. Phipps’ outgoing personality helped him later on in life as his field of work required him to work closely with people.

Before working at Northeastern, Mr. Phipps worked as a phychiatric social worker at Beverly Hospital in Beverly. Before that he worked in counseling in a halfway house.

In addition to his mother, Mr. Phipps leaves two brothers, Steven and David, both of Salem; and two nieces, Emily and Sarah, both of Salem.

A memorial service was held Aug. 22 at the First Universalist Church in Salem.