John William Lipscomb Jr.

John was born on June 25, 1923 in Lockhart, Texas. He is the son of Corinne Cardwell (Storey) Lipscomb and Colonel John William Lipscomb, Sr (United States Army, Retired). John’s ancestors have served in nearly every American conflict, including the American Revolution, the American Civil War, World War I, and World War II. John’s Great-Grandfather was Leonidas Jefferson Storey, Lieutenant Governor of Texas from 1881 to 1883.

John’s service to his country began in the summer of 1941 when Lyndon Johnson, his Congressman at the time, appointed him to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. He graduated and was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy on June 7, 1944, the day after the allied invasion at Normandy. Following graduation he went to the Supply Corps School, then served as Assistant Supply Officer aboard the USS Wake Island (CVE 65) in the South Pacific. The Wake Island was a carrier built on a commercial cargo hull, whose mission was to sink Japanese submarines. During this time, John’s brother, Private First Class Jack Storey Lipscomb (United States Marine Corps, KIA), joined the Marine Corps. Jack was killed in action by a sniper’s bullet during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Immediately following the war, John was reassigned to the USS Iowa (BB 61) when it deployed to Tokyo Bay to relieve the USS Missouri.

Another shipboard assignment was as Supply Officer aboard the USS Bremerton (CA 130), also in the Pacific. John’s shore assignments included the Naval Air Station Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico, the Military Sea Transportation Service, the Navy Procurement Office in London, England, and Contracting Officer for Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department. John later attended Harvard Business School where he received a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

In 1950, John married Claire (Spencer) Lipscomb, daughter of Vice Admiral Lyndon Spencer (United States Coast Guard, Retired). John and Claire were married in Hudson, Ohio, and they had three children, Jack, Bill, and Susan. John’s thirty year naval career came to an end when he retired in 1974 from the Defense Department Office in Atlanta, GA.

An avid gardener, John planted over 600 varieties of Daffodils in the pastures of his picturesque farm in Alpharetta. Every spring, the meadows came to life with resplendent shades of yellow, orange, and white and he delighted in inviting family, friends, neighbors, and school children over to enjoy the beauty of the daffodils. John’s natural masterpiece has been featured on HGTV’s “A gardener’s Diary”, in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and other publications.

John was an active and long-time member of Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, volunteering countless hours on the finance and landscape committees, taking donations to North Fulton Charities, and mentoring elementary and middle school children.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 15 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Roswell Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow on Thursday, October 16 at 11:00am at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alpharetta Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund (www.alpharettapres.com).