Jimmy, Jim, or "Tip" as he was affectionately known by his many loved ones, left his earthly home surrounded by family on Sunday, March 19, to step into the eternal realm where he will be with his Savior, Heavenly Father, and loved ones who have preceded him. Tempering this sadness is an immense gratitude and joy for the gift of having him in our lives. He was preceded in death by his mother, Edythe Money Tipton and father, James Swan Tipton, Sr. Jimmy is survived by his sister Dottie Wheeler, and brother Philip Tipton (Sandra) along with his precious nieces and nephews, Laura White Price, Clark Wheeler, John Wheeler, Melanie Wheeler, Beth McGrath, Lindsay Harris, Julie Lowery, Melinda Dowling, great nieces and nephews, Anthony White, Michael Berryhill, Caitlyn Berryhill, Brayden Tomasella, Brandon Timmerman, Brody Timmerman, Jenna Timmerman, Reuben Harris, Nathan Harris, Eli Harris, Chris Nance, Bradley Nance, and one great-great nephew, Alejandro Resendez, along with several special cousins and treasured friends from his law firm, Gentry, Tipton, and McLemore, where he served clients for over 40 years. Jimmy was a member of New Hopewell Baptist Church, but in recent years had become a valued and faithful participant in worship at New Fairview Baptist Church in Oliver Springs.
Jimmy's passions were Jesus Christ, and his family, to both of whom he devoted his life.
He was a native of Knoxville, a 1966 graduate of Young High School, and a 1969 graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from the Duke University College of Law in 1972 and was a member of the Order of the Coif, a legal scholastic honor society.
Mr. Tipton has served as director and/or attorney for various non-profit charitable organizations, including Oak Home (assisted living civic-community pilot project), YOKE, YMCA of Metropolitan Knoxville, Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Corporation (for medical students serving rural Arkansas), Bleak House Historical Library, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, and various local churches. He has coached youth baseball and basketball teams as well as playing for and coaching The Boys of Summer, a Senior League softball team.
The family will receive friends on Friday, March 24 from 4-8 p.m. at Berry Funeral Home in the chapel. A funeral service will be held at New Hopewell Baptist Church on Saturday, March 25, at 1:00 p.m., with interment service immediately following at the church cemetery.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to a loving group of caregivers, led by Tammy Brown, who attended to Jimmy during the last weeks of his life.
~The family
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.berryfuneralhome.com for the Tipton family. ~The family
