Joseph Tipton

TIPTON

Joseph Edgar Tipton was a beloved “legend” to his family. He left his earthly family on April 6th. Joe ended his life journey in peace at Sterling House of Mansfield, Ohio. He was 91. Joe was born in Erwin, Tennessee on October 4, 1923. He was the second child of six..Before all his siblings were born,, the family moved to Red Hill in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. This is where Joe spent his formative years. Joe graduated from Tipton Hill High School, North Carolina in 1941 where he was a member of Tipton Hill’s State Basketball Team (small division). Joe’s most important accomplishment during these years, however, was successfully courting Joyce Peterson. Young Joe joined his three brothers as part of our country’s Greatest Generation by joining the army during WWII. After his discharge, Joe and Joyce were married, setting up their home in Erwin, Tennessee where Joe became a carpenter, eventually owning his own contracting business, building homes during the post-war housing boom. During this time, Joe and Joyce had their only child, daughter Jo Ann, in 1953. In 1956, Joe took a six-month job to be foreman of a construction crew in Columbus, Ohio and moving his family to join him, the six-month job became permanent, with the family setting up residence in Westerville, Ohio. In 1961, Joe turned his golfing hobby into a career, becoming the self-taught greens superintendent of Indian Run Golf Club where he remained until his retirement. While at Indian Run he helped build a second course resulting in Indian Run East and West. He was an active member of The Ohio Greens Superintendent’s Association. Joe took great pride in becoming a Mason and later a member of the Aladdin Shrine Brutal Brothers where he was a member of the Jesters. He spent many hours maintaining and driving the Jesters’ fleet of “little vehicles” in parades travelling Ohio and other parts of the country. In 2005, Joe and Joyce moved to Mansfield, Ohio to be close to their daughter and her family. Two years after moving to Mansfield, the love of his life, his Joyce, died. After Joyce”s death, Joe kept busy caring for his home and yard, and helping his daughter. He spent the final 14 months of his life, at Sterling House of Mansfield, Ohio, being assisted by an amazing and caring staff. Joe is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Jo Ann and Dan Ritchie of Mansfield; grandson Zac Ritchie and wife Jodie, of London England;
granddaughter Morgan Ritchie Baum and husband Jason, of Greensboro, N.C.; and great-granddaughters, Zoe May and Felicity Joy, also of London; sister, Billie Tipton of Erwin, TN; and numerous nieces and MORELAND FUNERAL HOME, 55 East Schrock Road, Westerville, Ohio on Monday, April 13th from 10-11 a.m. with a Masonic Service service at 11 followed by a funeral service. Interrment at Northlawn Cemetery, Westerville, OH.