Jewell Winford Tipton

Mr. Jewell Winford Tipton, 80, of Newnan, formerly of Dial, GA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at his home. He was born September 6, 1944, in Blue Ridge, GA, to the late Claude Tipton and Jessie Kendall Tipton. Known as "Bub" by his brothers and "Tip" by his in-laws, Jewell graduated from Fannin County High School and soon left the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia in 1962 to join the US Air Force. In the Air Force, he went to school to learn how to be an aircraft mechanic and, upon graduation from training, was assigned to B-52s at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He deployed to Fairbanks, Alaska, and Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. It was on a beach in Puerto Rico that he met his future bride, Martha Ingram. The daughter of an Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, Martha and her family were also stationed at Ramey, AFB. Martha soon left for college but could not forget the young airmen she had met in Puerto Rico. They decided to elope and were married in Blue Ridge, GA. After a few different jobs in the metro Atlanta area, Jewell went back to what he learned in the Air Force and applied as a mechanic for Delta Airlines in 1966. Jewell and Martha moved to Smyrna, GA, and bought a home where they lived until 1982. They moved to Newnan looking for a quieter life and bought a home in the Roscoe area. Jewell worked for Delta for 34 years, retiring in 2001. Growing up in the North Georgia mountains with the Toccoa River practically in his front yard, Jewell learned to hunt and fish at a young age and fostered that love throughout his life. He wanted to instill his love of the outdoors in his children and, through the years, took his family on many memorable trips. His time in Alaska in the Air Force stuck with him, and when his children were old enough, they started taking multiple trips to Alaska to fish for salmon, spending a week or more in isolated areas only accessible by float plane or small grass landing strips. Jewell had a passion for shooting sports and has a long line of youth and adults who have spent time receiving instruction and shooting time on his backyard gun range. He was an NRA-certified instructor and participated in 4-H shooting sports as a volunteer and with the Boy Scouts of America in their shooting sports program. From black powder muzzle-loading rifles to military-grade high-powered rifles, Jewell enjoyed the concentration, patience, and expertise required to compete in target matches. In addition to his love of shooting, Jewell was an amateur historian and focused primarily on World War II history, participating in Newnan High School's History Day events and many local parades, driving his Deuce-and-a-Half and various military-style jeeps. He loved educating students on WWII history often displaying the different weapons used and gear that was worn by infantry and paratroopers. Jewell loved spending his retirement introducing shooting sports to the young, including his own grandchildren. Jewell's wishes were to be interned at the National Military Cemetery in Canton, GA, a fitting tribute to his service. A small service for families will be held, with the date yet to be set. Condolences can be expressed online at http://www.mckoon.com. Survivors include wife Martha Ingram Tipton of Newnan; daughter Janet Tipton Elrod & husband Lee Elrod of Newnan; son Robert Tipton & wife Kim Thompson Tipton of Newnan; brother Wilburn Tipton of Blue Ridge, GA; brother Richard Tipton of Dallas, GA; grandchildren, Scarlett Elrod Hebert & husband Brandon Hebert, James Elrod & wife Shelby Chumley, Robert Tipton, Jr. & wife Rebekah Cobb Tipton, Mary Tipton, and Jake Tipton; great-grandchildren, Peter Hebert and Clyde Elrod. McKoon Funeral Home & Crematory (770) 253-4580

Jewell Winford Tipton

September 6, 1944 - October 17, 2024