Tom Tipton

2nd Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Tom Tipton, 73, of 3005 McKinley Road, Johnson City, died Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at the Johnson City Medical Center. He was a native of Unicoi County who had lived most of his life in Johnson City. He was the son of the late Calvin and Frankie Linville Tipton. Tom was a former Chief Deputy of the Washington County Sheriffs Department and former head of the Detectives Division of the Johnson City Police Department. He was a 30-year employee of TPI, Incorporated of Gray. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Paul and Arnold Tipton; a sister, Verna Laws and a great granddaughter, Anastasija Tipton. Tom was a member of the McKinley Memorial Bible Church which was founded by his special father-in-law Leonard H. Smith, and was led to the Lord by him in 1979. Survivors include: his wife, Shuri Smith Tipton of the home; ' a very special daughter ', Leslie Fitzgerald; three sons, Gary Tipton and his wife Cindy, of Limestone, Mike Tipton and his wife Kim, of Limestone and Tommy Tipton of Jonesborough; a daughter, Joy Hoover and her husband Mike, of Jonesborough; daughter-in-law, Katie Pearman; mother-in-law, Betty Smith; two sisters, Thelma Britt of Gray and Myrtle McKee of Johnson City; four brothers and three sisters-in-law, Glenn and Wanda Tipton of Johnson City, Calvin Tipton of Johnson City, Ray and Jean Tipton of Gray, Gene and Ruby Tipton of Elizabethton; several grandchildren, nieces and nephews; brothers and sisters-in-law, Gary Smith of Jonesborough, Debbie and Steve Fitzgerald of Johnson City, Richard and Cathie Smith of Kingsport, Lenny and Janice Smith of Jonesborough. A funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, October 13, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. from the McKinley Memorial Bible Church, under the direction of Rev. Lenny Smith. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 12, 2007 at Morris '' Baker Funeral Home. A committal service will be conducted on Saturday in the McKinley Bible Church Cemetery following the funeral service. Active pallbearers will be: Gary Tipton, Mike Tipton, Tommy Tipton, Joshua Smith, Matthew Fitzgerald and Daniel Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be: employees of TPI.