Known simply as Tom, Charles Thomas Lipe was born on December 29, 1928, to Edgar Neal and Bessie Pearl (DeBusk) Lipe. He was the third son in a family of nine children and their very able and loving parents. They raised the family on their island home between Los Fresnos and San Benito, in Cameron County, Texas, in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. His grandparents, George W. and Jennie (Nix) Lipe, and Charles H. DeBusk, also lived close by, just across the resaca.
Tom enjoyed sports and reading from early in his life. He loved to root for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Dallas Cowboys. He read everything from comic books to books that informed him of special events, like Darwin and his theory of the evolution. He enjoyed informing his younger siblings of what he had learned. In 4* grade he suffered a badly broken left elbow, which ended his playing contact sports
Another love of Tom's was singing, and he did so whole-heartedly, wherever he was. He could regularly be heard singing loudly and joyfully - on the tractor in the field, or driving down the road, or helping his siblings in the kitchen. They had fun harmonizing with him.
Tom worked with his father at Water District #6 as a ditch rider for many years, in addition to helping on the farm. At one point, Tom moved to Dallas, where he worked as a plumber and did maintenance for a trailer home park. There he met a young man who was living with his elderly grandmother. Tom soon befriended little Mike, as a strong male role model and mentor. The two became very close and Mike came to visit Tom often through the years.
Tom returned to his valley home in 1969 when his mother died and he realized that his father would be alone. Soon, his sister Hazel and husband Vearl retired and built a home there, too. Then brothers Bill and Henry and their wives Jean and Tomasita also moved back to the "island", and the family grew together again.
Tom loved meeting and selling fruit to "Winter Texans" from many parts of the country - many who came back year after year, always returning to the Lipe farm to buy fruit, take a tour of the farm, and chat with Tom.
Tom never married or had children of his own, but more than made up for it by the love and support that he shared with his many nieces and nephews throughout his life.
After developing dementia in recent years, and with memory and good health fading, Tom spent his last months at home under the loving care of his sister-in-law, Tomasita, and brother, Henry, along with his caretaker, Angie.
In spite of failing health, his sister Margaret and family were recently pleased to discover that he still could sing with them, joining in on many favorite songs. Music was still in him to the last.
Tom died at home on November 19, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Hazel Woods and Doris Pierce, brothers George R. Lipe, Richard "Little Ed" Lipe, Bill Lipe and John Lipe. His is survived by his brother Henry Lipe and his wife Tomasita, his sister Margaret Collins, sisters-in-law Francie, Jean and Judy, his "adopted son" Mike Harris, a trove of nieces and nephews and their families, and many cousins and their families.
Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 11th at 3 pm at First Methodist Church, 400 N. Sam Houston, San Benito, TX. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the First Methodist Church, 400 N. Sam Houston, San Benito, TX 78586 or to the charity of your choice.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.heavenlygracergv.com for the Lipe family.
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