Mildred Fay Tipton
Mildred Fay Tipton, our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend went to be with the Lord on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the age of 95. She was born in Louise, Texas on November 7, 1925, to the late Ira William Jones and Nola Pearl Goode Jones.
Mildred grew up during the Great Depression. Times were hard and everyone worked, including the children. When there was cotton to be picked she often had to miss school to pick. When she did go to school, she and her brothers and sisters walked down long dirt roads or rode double on a bike to get there or to the bus. She always said, “What a privilege it was to get to go to school!” She graduated in 1944 from LaWard High School as Valedictorian of her class of 11.
After high school, Mildred secured a two-year contract to teach at the one-teacher, one-room Arenosa School out of Edna. Some of the students walked to school, some rode a little mini bus and one girl even rode her horse to school every day. The school had two little outdoor restrooms and an outside drinking fountain. Her salary was $125 per month. She loved her job and said, “It was unbelievable how quickly the children learned.”
A few of her students who are in their 80’s would still write to her and send her cards on holidays. Some would even drop by to see her occasionally. They still called her “Miss Jones.”
It was while she was teaching at the Arenosa School that she met her future husband, John Girrard, “Artie Tipton.” She said, “He was tall and handsome with dark curly hair.” They married on March 15, 1946 and celebrated 51 and a half years together.
She was a faithful member of the Robison Street Church of Christ.
Mildred is survived by her daughter, Rose Volkmer; daughter in law, Donna Tipton; sons, Terry Tipton and wife, Lesli, Bill Tipton and wife, Charlotte, Charles Tipton and Nancy Harris; her loving sisters Helen McKey and Frankie Gerhard and husband Paul all of Edna, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Her legacy also includes 16 grandchildren: Stephanie Hale Kaiser (Brian), Jeffrey Tipton (Courtney), Joel Tipton, Amy Tipton Crutchfield (Brian), Kacy Tipton Fashik (Curt), Lane Tipton, Lance Tipton (Kendall), Katie Rose Tipton Adkins (Jack), Jill Tipton Crenshaw (Kris), Jake Tipton, Megan Tipton, Lindsey Tipton Floyd (Chris), Matthew Volkmer (Allison), Anna Volkmer Zahn (Matt), Mark Tipton (Kendall), Lance Nelson (Karla), Candice Nelson Gallion (Michael).
Another beautiful blessing was her 34 great grandchildren.
Proceeding her in death were her parents, Ira W. and Nola Pearl Jones; husband, John Girrard “Artie” Tipton; son, Mike Tipton; son-in-law, Robert Volkmer; brothers, Cecil Jones, Leroy Jones, and Raymond Lee Jones.
Pallbearers were Jeff Tipton, Lane Tipton, Jake Tipton, Lance Tipton, Matthew Volkmer, Mark Tipton, and Jack Adkins.
Honorary Pallbearers included her granddaughters, granddaughters-in-law, and grandsons-in-law.
Visitation and the funeral services were held on Oct. 3, all in the Oaklawn Funeral Home Chapel in Edna. Interment followed at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Edna. Phillip Stuckey of Edna, Church of Christ officiated.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation in Mildred’s name may be made to Hospice of South Texas Dornburg Center of Compassion, 1005 Mallette Dr., Victoria, Texas 77904-3318 or by phone to 361-572-4300 or to the Church of Christ, 301 S. Robison Street, Edna, Texas 77957.
Refreshments will be served after the burial at The Marina, Brackenridge Park, 891 Brackenridge Pkwy., Edna.
Arrangements are under the direction of Oaklawn Funeral Home in Edna. 361-782-2221.