Gene Tipton, age 67, of Canyon, and former long-time Coleman resident, died Tuesday, May 25, 2004 in an Amarillo hospital.  Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p. m. Friday, May 28, 2004 in Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. David Jenkins officiating.  Burial will follow in the Coleman City Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.

Gene was born on August 13, 1936 in Big Spring, Texas and was a son of the late Silby and Faye Beal Tipton.  He moved to Coleman as a small child and attended school in Coleman, graduating from Coleman High School in 1954.  Gene served his country in the U. S. Army and was stationed in Germany.  In 1958 he married Sandra LeBlanc in Shamrock, Texas.  He worked all of his life in the oil field and pipeline construction.  He moved to Canyon three years ago.  While living in Coleman, he was a member of Central Baptist Church and at the time of his death was a member of San Jacinto Baptist in Amarillo.

Survivors include his wife, Sandra Tipton of Canyon; three children, Carolynn Tipton of Coleman, Robert Tipton of Cochise, Arizona and Shanna Tipton of Canyon; four grandchildren, Chris Whittington and Cody Lape both of Coleman, Warren and Braydon Tipton both of Arizona; four great-grandchildren, Rhiannon and Jolie Ann Rosales both of Canyon, Chaunci and Clayton Watson both of Coleman; one brother, A. W. Tipton of Eufaula, Oklahoma. 

Memorials may be made to Care Net Pregnancy Crisis Center, 6709 Woodward, Amarillo, Texas 79106.  Family visitation will be held on Thursday from 6:00 p. m. until 8:00 p. m. at the funeral home.