Life Goes On

Screen shot of the live stream of my brother's services last night at his church

 Last night I watch the live stream of the church service for my late brother John Lee Tipton. 

I am so thankful I could watch it live stream. I almost missed it because I didn't activate the stream when I signed on to the church website fifteen minutes before the service started. I missed the photo collage my sister-in-law had established by Power Point. However, after the service started and I had no video I knew I was doing something wrong so I signed in again and viola! I got the live stream.

I also recorded the service which was long (one hour and forty-six minutes). 

I watched it along with Pat. 

I have to say the pastor who gave the John's memorial "got" John. He knew my brother and what he was like. I appreciated that. 

I got a chance to see my other brother who was there with his son and his daughter-in-law. His name is Isaac. Later he texted me that he was the only one there without a white shirt. Nor a tie I might mention. His son, Isaac III didn't have a tie either. Oh well, the very conservative Christian Southern Baptist Evangelicals have probably seen worse. They'll get over it. 

I'm still disappointed that I wasn't able to attend. And here I even had my dark blue pants let out. Oh, and I would have worn a white shirt and tie. Probably best I didn't attend. I wouldn't want to show up my brother and nephew. Once a hillbilly, always a hillbilly. Hey bro, don't worry about wearing a suit at my service, if I have one. 

This morning I had my bone marrow biopsy. Don't let anyone tell you it doesn't hurt. It does. Not a "passing a kidney stone" hurt but not comfortable either. Although the nurse did everything possible to make me comfortable prior to the procedure when the instrument was stuck in my back hip bone and bone marrow extracted with took about five minutes. Seemed more like fifteen minutes but probably only about five minutes. 

Pitiful me this morning just prior to my bone marrow biopsy procedure. You can't tell but I'm  trying to smile behind that mask. I should have taken the mast off.

Followup with my doctor in two weeks.

Funeral Services For My Brother John

My brother John with wife Barbara, and daughters Vickie and Nancy. Me (with the ice cream cone) and our Mother during a visit to their home in Windsor PA October 26, 1974. This was before John became a pastor. Me with the ice cream cone?

 Funeral services will be held tonight at 7 PM, EDT at the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Greenville, SC for my brother John Lee Tipton. For those of you who are interested to know what a treasure and joy by brother John was, you're invited to attend the live stream of his services. Go HERE.

Rev. John Lee Tipton

My brother John was the care pastor of his church for over thirty years. It was his job to comfort and console those who were ill and at the end of their life. John loved his job. I mean he LOVED his job.

Many years ago, after he lost his new born son at childbirth and almost lost his wife, he vowed to devote the rest of his life in service to his church helping others as appreciation for God saving his wife's life. 

John had to previous children, both daughters before his son was born. His wife had difficult pregnancies with those births. He was warned not to get his wife pregnant again but he wanted a son and thus took the chance. He lost his son and almost lost his wife. Because of almost losing his wife, after being given a warning, he left his lucrative career and moved to Greenville, South Carolina and attended Bob Jones University to obtain his degree to become a pastor. John was one of those old college students in his early forties (or maybe late thirties). 

John LOVED Greenville and Bob Jones University and his church. John was always my happy little brother but the years of his life living in Greenville were the happiest of his life. His optimism was infectious. Often when I would get down about life, all I had to do was talk to John and I felt better.

One would think that John being a minister of a Southern Fundamentalist church that he would be proselytizing me every chance he got. He did not do that. He never proselytized me. Never. Unlike some of my friends who are also evangelical who often took the opportunity to "save me" and proselytize me. I always took offense to their arrogance in "saving me." I would respond to them "Worry about yourself friend, I'll take care of my soul." 

Indeed, my brother John practiced true Christianity, not the organized Christianity that is practiced by so many evangelicals that assume that they and only they are going to Heaven because they and only they know The Way.  

My brother John always provided me with help, peace and comfort when I needed it. As he undoubtedly did for many of his parishioners who I don't know. 

My great regret now is that I am not able to attend his services which will be held tonight at 7 PM at the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. However, our other brother Isaac will be able to attend along with his son and his daughter-in-law. I will be there in spirit as well as watching the live streaming of his services.

No longer the Tipton Trio (The "Tipton Boys") Now there are just us us. 

Hopefully, if I survive Bill, I will be able to visit John's wife later. There are no promises in this life. I may go tomorrow but assuming I outlive Bill, I will visit Barbara (John's wife). 

For now I have John's memories. As my brother Isaac said when I was talking to him on FaceTime last night when he arrived at the Holiday Inn in Greenville, South Carolina, "I'll miss talking to John on the phone." And indeed, I will miss those calls I had with John. There is a big empty hole in my life now. And this is just me. I cannot imagine what his wife and his daughters are going through now. 

The one thing that sustains us is that John is at rest now. His pain and suffering over the last three years as come to an end and he now has his heavenly reward. 

If there is a Heaven (which I still have my doubts), I know he'll be there with that big infectious smile of his and saying "What took you so long Ronnie? I've been waiting for you!"

See  you soon John.

My brother John, gone forever. 

I will miss our calls. 

I will miss his laugh. 

I will miss his wit, wisdom and humor. 

I will miss his ability to bring me back to earth.

I will miss him.

I am less now.

Obituary for Rev John Lee Tipton

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7–8)

John Lee Tipton of Greenville, SC, met his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, on March 18, 2022. He was born in Coatesville, PA, on June 10, 1944, to Isaac Walter Tipton and Betty Hadfield Tipton. He leaves two brothers, Ronald Walter Tipton of Milton, DE, and Isaac Walter Tipton, Jr. of Downingtown, PA. He was married for 58 years to Barbara Princo Tipton, and they had three children, Nancy Lee Tipton of the home, Victoria Lynn (Mark) Payne of Gillette, WY, and John Lee Tipton, Jr. (deceased). John also had two foster daughters whom he loved dearly, Jan Loftis Sinde of Greenville, SC, and Cathy Bridges Powell of San Antonio, TX. He is survived by seven grandchildren and three foster grandchildren. He served his country in the US Army 529th Military Police in Heidelberg, Germany, and Washington, DC. He earned a master of arts degree in Bible in 1982 from Bob Jones University and joyfully served the Lord as an assistant pastor at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Cedar Lane Road, Greenville, SC, since 1983. Visitation and viewing are at Mount Calvary Baptist Church (115 Cedar Lane Road) on Monday, March 21, 4:45–6:45 p.m.; with the funeral service to follow at 7 p.m. Private interment at Coleman Cemetery in Travelers Rest, SC, will be held Tuesday, March 22. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Men’s Ministries at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 1430 Hampton Ave. Ext., Greenville, SC 29601.