Patricia Tipton

Patricia (Pat) Ann Tipton,   October 24, 1935 — July 28, 2021

Our beloved, Pat (Mom, Gram) stepped into the presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ on July 28th, 2021 following a brief battle with cancer. As her family, we rejoice because her faith now has sight. We miss her, but we do not grieve as those without hope and that is only because of Jesus.

Patricia Ann Smith was born in 1935 in Detroit, Michigan and was known by all as “Pat”.  She graduated in 1957 from Wayne State University, where she met Roy Tipton who would become her beloved husband for 63 years. 

Pat was a devoted kindergarten teacher in Detroit and Indianapolis, and then resigned from teaching when their daughter, Kristine, was born in Dallas, Texas.  Their second daughter, Jennifer, was born 9 years later in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She took an active role in everything her daughters did, from Brownies to the Grosse Pointe South Choir. 

In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Pat was a dedicated volunteer and taught Sunday School at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Farmington Hills, and at St. James Lutheran Church in Grosse Pointe, MI while serving as president of the St. James Women’s Guild. In the late 80’s, God led Roy and Pat to Fort Street Presbyterian Church where she served at “The Open Door” in downtown Detroit, feeding and caring for about 750 people every Thursday, following the lead of Pastor Robert Crilley, who co-founded the first homeless shelter in Detroit. 

When Roy retired, they decided to make their summer home in northern Michigan and winter home in south Florida to enjoy the golf, boating and the communities they lived in at both Birchwood and Bonita Bay. They joined and became active in First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs and First Presbyterian Church of Harbor Springs. She organized a women’s Bible Study group in Harbor Springs and was active in Disciple Bible Study and The Great Banquet of Southwest Florida in Bonita Springs. To the end, Pat loved God’s Word and was a prayer warrior for her family and friends.

Pat was known to be an avid reader, bowler, golfer, and a master at sewing, where she crafted everything from prayer shawls to baby quilts and needlepoints - giving nearly all of her creations away to friends and family, as well as those in need. Despite her fear of water, Pat became an accomplished navigator, sailing with her family and friends on many of the Great Lakes.

While recognized as a woman of many skills, Pat was best known for her sharp wit, and would be the first to say that her favorite thing to make was “reservations”. A connoisseur of hot fudge, she would always remind the server to be “heavy-handed” with the ladle. In addition to dining out, Pat enjoyed to travel, and one of the highlights of her retirement years with Roy was their travel together with the Nomads Travel Club to Alaska, Scotland and Israel. Pat enjoyed a good game and was always up for a round of cribbage or Scrabble and she loved spending time with her Mahjong friends in both Florida and Michigan. 

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Lilian (Wagner) Smith as well as her bother Allen Smith. She is survived by her husband, Roy, and daughters, Kris and Jen (and their husbands, Chris Treiber and Ben Carter). Gram will be dearly missed by her beloved grandchildren: Lauren (Benji), Megan (Tyler), Peter, Jack, Matt, Brian and Kelly.

Please join us to remember Pat’s life on August 8th at 1pm. We will gather for a brief service at First Presbyterian Church, 7940 Cemetery Rd., Harbor Springs, MI. The family will gather afterward for a private farewell at the church’s columbarium immediately following the service.  Please dress casually.

The family would like to thank the caring and skilled staff at both Munson Hospital and Bay Bluffs Care Facility who walked beside us and Pat in her last days.

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