Charles Edward Tipton Sr.'s Obituary
Charles Edward Tipton, 94, was a New Year’s baby born in Fairland, Oklahoma at 5:00 AM, the 1st of January, 1922 and passed away in Grove, Oklahoma on the 20th of September, 2016.
Charles was the third of eight children of Lida Wilson Woodall Tipton and Virgil Everett Tipton. He grew up in rural Afton and attended Cleora grade school and graduated from Afton High School in 1940. After high school he worked for Painter Oil Company in Afton running the Phillips 66 gas station. He was a member of the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Grove.
Charles was inducted into the US Army during World War II in 1944 and achieved the rank of Tech Sergeant in 1945. During his service, he was assigned to Sixth Army, 32nd Infantry Division, L Company. Charles was one of four brothers that served during World War II with three of them in the Pacific theatre. William was at Bellows Air Field, Hawaii during the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor; James was a bombardier on a B-29 bomber that included missions over Tokyo. Charles’ tour of duty extended from the Luzon phase of General MacArthur’s return invasion of the Philippines, to control and relief efforts in Nagasaki, Japan after the second atomic bomb. He was honorably discharged at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in October of 1946.
After the military he returned to Painter Oil Company and was a bulk petroleum distributor. The Afton Farmers Co-Op bought the business and he worked there for 30 years where he continued to deliver farm gas and managed their station on Main Street. Charles retired from the Co-Op at age 62 and purchased a small farm south of Afton and raised cattle. He also helped farm with his youngest brother, Reuben, on the Tipton homestead five miles south of Afton. He enjoyed time outdoors working on the farm, tending his cows, and being a helping hand to his neighbors, friends, and family. He was an avid hunter of quail and pheasant throughout his years and made many trips to Nebraska with his longtime friends and his beloved hunting dogs. He was a former Fire Chief of the Afton Volunteer Fire Department and retired from it with 20 years of service. Charles was also a precinct election judge in Afton for over 40 years.
Charles is survived by his two sons: Edward and wife Patty of Afton, Jackson and wife Charlotte of Magnolia, Texas; a stepdaughter: Mandy Wilson Albin and husband Rick of Owasso; his brothers James and wife Marilyn of Pearland, Texas, George of Pryor, Reuben and wife Colleen of Afton, and his sister Hazel Dillingham of Afton along with a stepson-in-law Mack Coats of Livingston, Texas. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Troy Tipton of Grove, Amy Tipton Hines of Afton, Holly Tipton Kralicek of Diamond, Missouri, Matthew Tipton of Grove, Kelsey Tipton Cahill and Philip Tipton both of Magnolia, Texas, and Brent Tipton of Edmond, Oklahoma, Brad Albin of Verdigris, Kyle Albin of Stillwater, Wade Parker and Jeremy Coats both of Livingston, Texas; his twenty-six great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Charles was preceded in death by his wife Margaret (Gilbert) Tipton and his wife Sara (Wilson) Tipton; his step-daughter Jerry Wilson Coats; his brothers Virgil and William; and his sister Lucille Mills.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 AM, Saturday, September 24, 2016 at Brown-Winters Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Afton with Reverend Alex Kennedy officiating. Military Honors will be provided by the Fort Sill Funeral Honors Team.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Afton Volunteer Fire Department where he once served as a Fire Chief.
Friends and family may send the family notes of encouragement by viewing Mr. Tipton’s Tribute page at www.brown-winters.com.
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