Elery Harold Pippins

Pippins (wife Jacqueline), and Charles R. Pippins; and four grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by brother J.D. Pippins and family, and

sister Thelma Morris and family. An older brother, Dorce, predeceased him.

Born and raised in Oklahoma, the son of Jessie Clarence Pippins and Lillie Gladys (Smith) Pippins, he attended Findlay College in Ohio, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Philosophy. After briefly teaching high school English, he joined the Navy in 1956, serving for over 23 years as a naval aviator and retiring as a Commander. He met his wife Leonor while serving in the Navy in Newport, RI, and they married in Hawaii on October 5, 1957. During his career, he flew with the Hurricane Hunters in Jacksonville, FL, did two tours on Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica, and was the Communications Officer on USS ESSEX (CV-9). He also flew airborne reconnaissance in C-130’s from Guam, was the Operations Officer of Naval Air Station Adak, Alaska, and finished his career at the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon where he received a Joint Service Commendation Medal.

After retiring from the Navy in 1979, Mr. Pippins worked for Computer Sciences Corporation for 11 years and GLS Associates for several years until his full retirement in 2013. He not only took pride in his service as a Naval Flight Officer, but truly relished his family. Mr. Pippins enjoyed spending time with his wife, grandchildren, extended family and friends. He was an avid reader and proficient musician who loved to play the banjo and listen to bluegrass music. He regularly followed multiple sports and was always ready to discuss the latest football, baseball, and golf scores.