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