Jim Tippett of Silt passed away on Saturday, May 4, at Grand River Hospital in Rifle after recent health problems. He was 67.
A longtime Carbondale resident before moving to Silt in 1997, Jim was known to his friends in the Roaring Fork Valley as Tappin’ Tip.
He was born James Leslie Tippett on July 25, 1951, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Olin Leslie and Lois Jeanne Tippett; one of four children by that marriage. After his father’s death in 1954, his mother remarried to Melvin L. Stroud, Jr. in 1962.
Jim attended schools in Lee’s Summit, Columbia, Albany and Higginsville, Missouri, graduating from Higginsville Senior High School in 1969.
He went on to attend the University of Missouri at Columbia, and married Audrey Hazelwood on July 20, 1974. They followed their dreams to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, moving to Carbondale in February 1976.
Together, Jim and Audrey had two beautiful children, Tara Kristen and Austin James, before they divorced in 1985.
Jim worked a variety of construction jobs after relocating to the Roaring Fork Valley, eventually starting his own drywall company, aptly named My Own Drywall.
He was an avid golfer, enjoyed pickup basketball and played on several slo-pitch softball teams in Carbondale. He was also a regular in the Carbondale/KDNK Spring Talent Show that became a popular annual town event in the 1980s and early ’90s, and sang for several years in the Aspen Choral Society’s performances of “The Messiah.”
Jim did his best to meet his children’s needs, and was able to get along with a mix of people because he did not judge, but let others be themselves. He was an all-around good guy with a loving heart and a great sense of humor, and was a “cool dad.” You are truly going to be missed.
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Olin Tippett, mother Lois Jeanne Stroud, and stepfather Melvin Stroud.
He is survived by his children, Tara Tippett of Golden, and Austin Tippett of Silt; grandsons Fawkes and Rowan; sisters Billie-Gwen (Kirk) Tippett Russell of Olympia, Washington, Sandy (Steve) Tippett-Smith of Silt, Gayla Tippett of Cortez; brother John (Tami) Stroud of Carbondale; nephews Cory Edgar, Chris Edgar, Jason Duckowitz and Trevor Stroud, and niece Joanna Rae Lopez.
A memorial/celebration of life will be held at a later date to be announced. Memorial donations may be made to the Grand River Health Memorial Trust, or Home Care and Hospice of the Valley.
