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The Messenger is published twice a year. The Messenger contains up to date articles concerning the children and news about Tipton Children’s Home. Tipton Children’s Home is a missonary work done to help children who are in need. It is supported by friends and members of the church of Christ. Children attend the public school system and live in homes with a set of house parents and no more that 7 other children. If you would like to receive mailings from Tipton Children’s Home, please contact us and provide your name and address.

Tipton Children’s Home Homecoming will be held on Saturday, March 26 in the Tipton Children’s Home cafeteria. Mark your calendar and be here for the celebration . You and your family are welcome!

I know you won’t be expecting your Tipton Children’s Home Messenger this early, but I have always felt change is good. It is different for me to get my mind set for it also. It is winter here in Tipton, Oklahoma and we have just been through several days of no power due to high winds and ice storms. Everyone made it okay, and all of our children are back in school busy as usual. I am sure many of you have experienced the same bad weather also. Hope everyone is doing ok.

At this time I am going to put a reminder of Homecoming at Tipton Children’s Home in this news report. Homecoming comes a little early this year. It will be on Saturday March 26, 2016 in the Tipton Home cafeteria. There will be a reception at the Tipton church of Christ Fellowship building on Friday evening, March 25. I will follow-up with a letter to you in a few weeks with the time schedule of everything. We are starting our plans and preparation for another great and fun Homecoming. You don’t want to miss it. We will be looking for all that can come this year.

Deceased: We have lost some of our special people that I need to report on.

Carroll Gregory passed away September 3, 2015. Carroll had been sick for a while. He and his lovely wife, Wanda, came to work several years ago as houseparents in the Davis Cottage. They are loved by many sweet girls they have raised. Our sympathy and prayers go out to Wanda and her family.

Just as we were in the middle of the bad ice storm we got word of one of the girls we had in our cottage, Angela Lee (Jones) Smith, who unexpectedly passed away on December 26th, 2016. Angie came to Tipton Children’s Home on May 28, 1971 along with her younger sisters, Donna and Jennifer and her brother Timmy. She graduated from Tipton High School on May 21, 1981. She leaves her sweet daughter Cassandra (Cassie) who will need lots of love and encouragement.

Our hearts were very saddened to get this news. Former employee, Elton VanScoder’s wife passed away on December 6, 2015. We extend our love and sympathy to all the families of their loved ones.

Wishing everyone a very happy and good year in what is now 2016. Remember our children in your prayers. We appreciate all of you.

As the saying goes “The Good Ole Sumer Time” is what we have been enjoying. Many fun things have taken place this summer. There is always something going on for the children at the Tipton Children’s Home and we have been busy. We hope all of you have had a good summer. Some of our alumni, or a family member of an alumni have dropped by, and as always we were happy to see them and enjoyed reminiscing about old times. Among those visitors was Ashlynne Prophet from Conroe, Texas. She came to live here November 28, 2007 and lived here several years. Logan Ko  stopped by for a visit. He lived here from April 28, 2011 until May 23, 2013.

Jerry Powers  came with a group of volunteers. He was in the Home from November 11, 1974 until May 1981 when he graduated from Tipton High School. Jerry’s wife, Mary and granddaughter were with him as well as a group from the Carbondale church of Christ in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jerry lived in the cottage with our Director, Joe Waugh’s parents, Charles and Sharon Waugh. Thomas Mello , one of our boys that lived here from June 30, 2012, and graduated from Tipton High School in 2014 who is now serving in the U.S. Navy had some leave and came home for a visit. Former house parents, Paul and Renee Wells , and their two daughters, Addie and Jodi came with a group from Conroe, Texas. They spent several days on campus. Another visitor was David Eaves  who is the son of Alumni Ruby Helen Prosser . She lived here from 1938 to 1943. I have enjoyed visiting with David very much. We would like to have more of our Alumni to surprise us. Keep your phone calls, letters and e-mails coming. We appreciate those very much.

Along with our happiness, we also have sadness. We have lost some of our special people. Mona Blanch (McCoy) Valance  of Gallipolis, Ohiop passed away a few months ago. I met Mona for the first time fifteen years ago as I started doing the Alumni Relations job. She surprised us with a visit, and I will never forget that day. While she was here she asked if it was ok to send all the children something. Well after she returned home she sent everyone an Indian Head nickel. She later made one more visit. She lived at the Home from February 1, 1939 until July 19, 1940. Jewell (Nichols) Self  passed away May 1, 2014. We just recently got the news. She lived here from December 12, 1936 to May 19, 1940. Tracey (Barron) Riehle  passed away on June 11, 2015 at the age of 44. She came to the Home on November 30, 1982 and lived in the cottage with Charles, myself and all of our girls until May 21, 1988. We loved her very much. Cleo (Johnson) Laviage passed away August 3, 2015. She came to live at the Home August 24, 1925 and left on November 28, 1936. John Dudley  passed away on July 6, 2015. His wife, Gean worked in our kitchen and cafeteria in the ealy 1900’s. Our love and sympathy is extended to all the families of their loved ones.

Wedding: Congratulations to Larry White  and Marcie Thomas. They were married on July 14, 2015. Larry lived at the Home from April 16, 1976 and graduated from Tipton High School May 23, 1985. They are making their home in Amherst, Ohio.

As usual, I like to start reminding you to mark your calendars now about next year’s Homecoming for March 26, 2016. This is one of those times Easter comes early. We always look forward to this special time each year. Also want to thank you for your prayers, support and your love for the Tipton Children’s Home as we do our best to care for the children who live here. Please remember our young men and women in the U. S. military that are serving our country.