August 24th, 1940- March 31st, 2020
James (Jim) Tipton was promoted to heaven on March 31st 2020, after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was 79 years old and a devoted husband, brother, father, grandfather and a great friend to many. He was a strong Christian who attended church and Bible studies regularly and was eager to proclaim Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Jim was born in Chicago, IL to Ronald L. Tipton and Gladys O. (Bourne) Tipton. He moved to Kansas City, MO when he was 7 years old and attended Mark Twain Elementary School. He was very active in his church and Boy Scouts and earned his Eagle Scout award. He graduated from Southeast High School in 1958 and attended the University of Kansas, graduating from the school of business. He worked as a computer and software salesman for companies including IBM and Service Bureau Corporation and and was part owner of Professional Business Corporation selling Quantel products. He was a very successful salesman and won many awards over the years. He and Mary Kay traveled to Hawaii, Spain and Mexico on trips he won for his sales. He was also active in teaching public speaking in Dale Carnegie and Toastmasters. He served in the Air Force Reserves for several years. In his later years, he volunteered at St Joseph Medical Center, volunteered at the historical Alexander Majors and Wornall Houses and gave presentations on humor, holidays and historical events in senior centers and nursing homes. He also volunteered during respite nights for SOAR Special Needs, which is an organization founded in memory of his grandson, Mark Andrew Hunsley.
Through a friend, he met Mary Kay Carter in 1958. They dated and later married in June 1965. They had 2 children, Kay in 1968 and Michael (Mike) in 1972. Jim was a very active father who regularly coached and attended his children’s sporting events and helped out with their Girl and Boy Scout troops.
Jim had a very positive outlook and looked for the humor in everything. He never met a stranger, would love to talk to people and would often see people he knew while out and about, often requiring his family to wait patiently as he talked to a long lost friend or stranger he had just met. He saw the importance of humor in life and would watch comedy videos and send jokes to friends regularly.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Ron Tipton of Las Cruces, NM and grandson, Mark Hunsley. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Kay, twin sister, Judi Korneman of Raymore, MO, daughter, Kay Hunsley (Stephen) of Overland Park, KS, son Mike Tipton (Sabrena) of Columbia, MO and grandchildren, Sean and Cuillian Tipton, Luke and Sarah Hunsley, and Alexander, Grace and Daniel Brown.
The family wishes to thank all of Jim’s wonderful friends who stopped by regularly to see him, talk and laugh and share a meal with him in the last several months of his illness when he was unable leave the house.
Memorial Service to be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to SOAR Special Needs at soarspecialneeds.com/donate or the Kansas City Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis at kcpulmonaryfibrosis.org.
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