J.T. Turnipseed Jr.

January 11, 1924 - October 18, 2020

A Memorial Service for J.T. Turnipseed Jr., age 96 of Lindale, Texas, is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Saturday, October 24, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Lindale with Dr. Tom Buck and Paul DeRousse officiating. A private interment will follow at Lindale City Cemetery under the direction of Caudle-Rutledge-Daugherty Funeral Home of Lindale. J.T. passed away Sunday, October 18, 2020 at his home in Lindale. He was born January 11, 1924 in Columbus, Mississippi to the late James Thurman and Trudie Pearl (Huckaby) Turnipseed. J.T. served his country in the United States Navy as a Radioman during W.W. II. After spending 22 years in Garland, Texas, J.T. moved to Lindale in 1984 where he was an active member of the First Baptist Church. He was a member of the Tyler Amateur Radio Club, TBM (Texas Baptist Men) Disaster Relief, and worked throughout his life as an Electronics Specialist with Raytheon Technologies performing experimental laboratory work for the government. J.T. enjoyed gardening, building custom made game boards, delivering meals on wheels with Melnee, and most of all spending time with his family and grandchildren. He is preceded in death by brothers, Gene, Billy, Ralph, and Charles Turnipseed and his sister, Mildred Dilworth. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be J.T.’s grandchildren. J.T. is survived by his wife of 71 years, Melnee Turnipseed of Lindale; children, Cathy Lynn DeRousse and husband, Paul of Marshall and Jerry Ann Austin and husband, Ed of Lindale; grandchildren, Jonathan DeRousse, David DeRousse, Timothy DeRousse, D.J. Austin, Josh Austin and wife, Sara, James Austin and wife, Christina; great grandchildren, Neil, Abby, and Mattie Vandiver, Grace Vandiver DeRousse, and Pearl Austin; and numerous nieces, nephews and other loving family members and friends. Family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. prior to the service. As a COVID-19 precaution, masks are required at all visitations and services.