Harrison May "Harry" Tippetts

Harrison May “Harry” Tippetts, age 89, of Grants Pass, left his earthly home Saturday, October 1, 2011 at Highland House Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Grants Pass, Oregon.

A viewing will be at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 6, 2011 in the Relief Society Room at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center on Williams Highway.

A funeral service will begin at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, October 6, 2011 at the Church Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Stake Center. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, October 6, 2011 at Eagle Point National Cemetery. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to the Missionary Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Harrison was born July 12, 1922 in Jerome, Idaho to Heber Chase Tippetts and Lucy Melvina (May) Tippetts. He graduated from high school in Glasgow, Montana in 1941. He joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1942 and spent the majority of World War II on the Aleutian Islands of Adak, Shemya, and Amchitka attached to the 11th Bomber Command. On June 5, 1943 in Provo, Utah he married Betty Howe and later they were sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple on November 8, 1944. After the war Harry completed a machinist apprenticeship at the Geneva Steel plant in Provo, Utah. This became his lifelong profession, working at Aeroject General Corporation in Sacramento, California and advanced as an Industrial Engineer with Lockheed Aerospace in Mountain View, California. He worked on the Mercury Space Program and defense missile programs which he much enjoyed. As part of his employment he and his wife Betty spent two years in Greece and had the opportunity to visit the Middle East and Europe. After retirement they enjoyed traveling to every state with their fifth-wheel.

Spending much of his early years in the Rocky Mountain States he greatly enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing with his brothers, cousins and close friends.

Harry is survived by his wife of 68 years, Betty Opal (Howe) Tippetts, children, Barton (Mary), Gaye Wallen (Darrell), Lyle (Gail), and Mark (Pat); 13 grandchildren, Lori (Mike), Jamie, Debbie, Steve, Paul, Sally (Jonathan), Scott (Elizabeth), Brenda, Jennifer, Rachel, Julie (Michael), Rebecca and Joseph, who all were the light of his life; and 17 wonderful great-grandchildren.

Harry was preceded in death by his parents, Heber and Lucy Tippetts; a brother, Frank Tippetts; two sisters, Ruth (Tippetts) Robb and Gladys (Tippetts) Pulley; a daughter, Karen Tippetts; and a granddaughter, Allison Tippetts.