Elbert L Gipson

Elbert "Gip" Gipson, age 81, resident of Bluefield, West Virginia passed away Friday, September 25th, 2020 at Princeton Community Hospital due to pneumonia.
He is survived by 2 daughters: Judith Radabaugh of Colorado Springs, CO, Andrea Gipson Sweet of Baton Rouge, LA and two grandsons, Greg Bell of Baton Rouge, LA and John Radabaugh of Colorado Springs, CO.
Preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn A. Gipson, his parents, Morris Gipson and Vertis Mitchell Grey, and three sisters: Dorothy Louise Whitlock, Marsha Mack and Marion Lyons.
He was born in Picayune, MS on December 13, 1938. He joined the Navy at age 17, then entered the U.S. Air Force. He took courses in the Community College of the Air Force throughout his career. He retired from the Air Force as a Senior Master Sergeant in 1977. He worked as an electrical engineer subcontracted through Litton Industries to Ingalls Shipbuilding until his second retirement, then became a real estate agent in West Virginia and Virginia.
His proudest achievement was completing all the requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree at Bluefield College in 1999 at the age of 61. He always said, "You can get older and educated, or just get older." He was an inspiration to his daughters, with Judith completing an MBA after age 30, and Andrea completing a BS in Clinical Lab Science after age 40. He had a varied and interesting life, with many adventures and misadventures. He loved a good joke and always had great stories about his experiences.

Funeral service will be held 10:00 AM Thursday, October 8, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1003 Wyoming St., Bluefield, WV 24701, with Deacon Don Hammond officiating.  Burial will follow at 2:00 PM at the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery, 5550 Bagging Plant Rd., Dublin, VA 24084 where the American Legion and the U.S. Air Force will conduct military honors. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."