Mary Tipton
PHOENIX – Mary Elizabeth (DeMar) Tipton,
94, the matriarch of a large and loving family, succumbed on 16 May 2018 from complications following gall bladder surgery. Her family will miss her warm hugs, quick smiles and calming presence.
She was the heart of the family.
Mary was the first child of Leslie Franklin and
Georgia Pearl (Johnson) DeMar, born 13 December
1923 in Denton County, Texas. On 13 August 1940,
Mary eloped to Oklahoma to wed Kenneth Tipton, a neighbor she had known since 2nd grade. They were married for 62 years and 7 months when he died on 27 March 2003.
Mary’s chief focus and joy was her family. She was a consummate caregiver, for her three children and for her mother and her mother-in-law when they were aged and infirm. She created a loving haven for her grandchildren, who delighted in going to see Grandma. She taught by example, providing a model of caring patience, careful listening, and clear expectations.
For over fifty years, Mary served as an officer in the Christian Women’s Fellowship (CWF) of the Campbell Avenue Christian Church (now Larkspur Christian Church) of which she was a charter member. In addition to her church activities, she was an active member of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She was a Brownie leader, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout den mother, PTA member and room mother for her school children.
Mary enjoyed picnics, camping, and was an avid hunter. Her husband taught her to shoot, and they raised their children on venison, antelope, elk and even buffalo meat that they had hunted. She was very proud of her buffalo – the largest buffalo taken in the state of Arizona that year. All their grandchildren looked forward to going camping and fishing with Grandma and Granddaddy in the summers, just as their parents had.
Country-Western was Mary’s music of choice. Jim Reeves’ “Distant Drums” was her absolute favorite song. She enjoyed square dancing and house parties with her friends (the “Goettl Gang”), and being with family.
She lived for seven years with her daughter, Eva, and son-in-law Edward Van Ess, following the sale of her home in Laveen.
Mary Tipton was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Leslie William “Bill” DeMar in 2000, her husband Kenneth Noel Tipton in 2003, and most of her good friends. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy (DeMar) Tennison, of Saginaw, Texas; by her children, Eva (Edward) Van Ess of New River; Caroline (Ivan) Miller, of Monterey, California; and Jerry (Cindy) Tipton, of Gilbert, Arizona; grandchildren Victoria Kohles, Christopher Miller, Megan (Andy) Walker, Cynthia (Jason) Karner, Nicole (Joseph) Loupe, and Cortney Tipton, as well as Jami Van Ess; numerous great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
The family wishes to thank Maria and Zeno at the North Star Care Home for their loving care during the past year, and the caring and capable staff at Honor Health John C. Lincoln hospital and the Sherman Hospice House.
Services will be held on 24 May at the chapel of Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery, 719 North 27th Avenue, Phoenix, with burial to follow. Visitation will be one hour before the 10 a.m. services. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Friend Ships Unlimited (www.friendships.org), Hospice of the Valley, or Larkspur Christian Church’s building fund (larkspurchristianchurch.com).