Charles E. Lipford
December 26, 2014
Date of Service: December 30, 2014
Interment Location: Mausoleum of Peace
Mr. Charles E. Lipford, 86, of Elizabethton, passed away on Friday, December 26, 2014 at the Johnson City Medical Center Hospital following a brief illness. He was the son of the late Jesse and Gladys Collins Lipford and was born in Carter County. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of forty-one years, Nora Grace Heaton Lipford on November 8, 2008; and a sister, Jo Lipford Smith.
Mr. Lipford was a graduate of Hampton High School, served in the United States Air Force as a radar technician during the Korean War, and graduated from East Tennessee State Teachers College. He taught algebra at Elizabethton High School and retired in 1987 after thirty years of service and was the first teacher in the Elizabethton City School System to be inducted into the Imagination Library Teacher’s Hall of Fame. He was a member of Siam Baptist Church where he served the church as a trustee. Mr. Lipford was an avid fan of both football and basketball at Elizabethton High School and attended most every home game. His hobbies included woodworking, reading and photography and he loved spending time in these activities. He also loved to keep in touch with his friends and former students using social media.
He is survived by a sister, Jessie Montgomery and her husband, Carroll, Elizabethton; two brothers, Gary “Butch” Lipford and his wife, Nancy, Elizabethton; Jimmy Lipford, Elizabethton; his nieces and nephews, Janie McKinney, David Smith, Pat Yelton, Pam Campbell, Becky Raulston, Chipper Montgomery, Gary A. Lipford, Mike Lipford, Chris Lipford, Jaime Lipford, Betty Lipscomb; a sister-in-law, Lucille Heaton and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
A Celebration of Life Service for Mr. Lipford will be conducted on Monday, December 29, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the Chapel of Peace of Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton with Rev. Jack Roddy and Rev. Jacob Guinn officiating. His niece, Becky Raulston, will deliver the eulogy. Music will be under the direction of Robin Montgomery and Bill Anderson. The family will receive friends in the funeral home chapel from 4:00 – 7:00 PM on Monday prior to the service or at his home at other times.
A Committal and Entombment service will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 in the Mausoleum of Peace at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be Mike Lipford, Gary Lipford, Chris Lipford, Chipper Montgomery, Keith Raulston, Oran Campbell, David Smith, and Rick “Doc” McKinney. Honorary pallbearers will be Kayo Gentry, Earl Wayne Gentry, Bruce Wiltshire, Buddy Farmer, Jerry Smith, Sonny Hunt, Bill Gentry, and the members of the Farmers Market Sunday School Class. Those wishing to attend are asked to meet at the funeral home at 10:15 AM on Tuesday to go in procession to the cemetery.
Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations to Siam Baptist Church, Air Conditioning Fund, 2414 Siam Road, Elizabethton, TN, 37643.
The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Juanita Ellison, his friends at Arby’s, the doctors, nurses, and staff of the 2600 floor ICU at Johnson City Medical Center Hospital for all the care and love shown to Mr. Lipford and his family.
