Harold "Hank" Loyyd Tipps Jr.

Harold “Hank” Tipps, Jr., 73 of Lindale, Texas passed away Wednesday morning, April 2, 2025 in Tyler. He was born March 24, 1952 in Grand Saline, Texas to Harold and Lois Tipps of Winnsboro, Texas. Hank lived a life dedicated to his family, friends, and his deep love of sports, hunting and fishing. Hank was a graduate of Winnsboro High School, Class of 1970. He attended Stephen F. Austin State University for two and a half years before transferring to East Texas State University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education in 1983. He received his Master of Education degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. After graduation, he secured a coaching position at Muenster High School where he was a varsity football assistant and head baseball coach. The baseball team won the Regional Championship, the farthest a Class A Team could advance at the time. Hank then went to Liberty Eylau High School in Texarkana, Texas as an assistant coach and that is where he met his wife, Debbie Shelby. They were married during the spring of 1976 and then moved to Winona after accepting an assistant football coaching position at Winona ISD. After 2 years as an assistant, he accepted the position of Athletic Director/Head Football coach in 1978. While the head football coach at Winona High School, he won seven District Championships, four Bi-District Championships, two Area Championships, one Regional Championship, and one Quarterfinal Championship. He was District “Coach of the Year” in 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993 and 1994 plus “East Texas Coach of the Year” in 1986. He ended with a career record of 132-96-8. In his career at Winona, he also coached track where they advanced to the State Track Meet several times. After Winona, he finished out his coaching career as an assistant at Lindale ISD and Union Grove ISD. While coaching all of these years, he also did an admirable job teaching high school English which he loved. Most of his students will remember his notorious list of vocabulary words that begin with “permeate – to pass through”, Shakespeare, the poem “If”…it was his trademark. He expected a lot but he gave a lot. He cared and wanted each one to excel in life. Hank loved hunting and fishing and sharing his knowledge of his hobbies with his children and grandchildren. He always had a favorite fishing jig/color or technique to share. His favorite location was Lake Hawkins and most of the time he knew where to fish and when to catch crappie. You could usually find him sitting in his boat fishing with his close friend, Bill Snider. He looked forward to September when he could dove hunt with his longtime friend Ronnie Phillips in Muenster. Hank was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lois Tipps, grandparents Pearl and Albert Bates and Sylvester and Myrtle Tipps. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of almost 49 years this month, Debbie, of Lindale, his children Marci Evans (Scott) of Hawkins, Tx, Brandon Tipps (Julie) of Fort Worth, TX, and Brett Tipps (Haley) of Aledo, TX; a brother Paul Tipps (Debbie) of Spring Hill, TX; eight grandchildren – Jentri, Jace, and Tatum Evans (Hawkins), Gunner, Wade, Allie, and Harper Tipps (Fort Worth), and Charlotte Tipps (Aledo); two nieces – Ashley Terry (Tyler) and Corey Tipps, both of Longview; and several cousins. Services will be held Saturday, April 5th, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Caudle-Rutledge-Daugherty Funeral Home in Lindale, TX. Rev. Mike Ford officiating with Ronnie Phillips and Bill Snider assisting. There will be a visitation prior to the service from 12 – 2 for friends and family. Private Burial will be at Red Springs Cemetery following service.

Harold "Hank" Loyyd Tipps Jr.

March 24, 1952 - April 2, 2025