The Gipper Rest in Peace

[Tour2ma]

On 6/14/2021 at 6:59 AM, Westside Steve said:

https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/21400578/Thomas-B-Gipson/Norton/Ohio/Hennessy-Bagnoli-Moore-Funeral-Home

 This is a bare bones announcement and I've spoken with the family there will be a memorial decided on soon. 

I will make sure everybody is up-to-date.

Obit has been updated...

Quote

Obituary

 

Thomas Brendan Gipson, the “Traveling Man of Northeast Ohio,” took his last trip Wednesday, June 9th at his home in Wadsworth at the age of 69. He could be seen stalking the backwoods and deserts of the National Parks all across the country. For years, locals have reported sightings of a plump, jocular creature roaming through visitor centers and purloining the free park maps. The Traveling Man’s haunting call was a long stream of random trivia about sci-fi films, presidents, and ‘70s music. For every errant fact uttered by the common man, the Traveling Man offered corrections. His facial hair was ever-present, never to be removed per his wife of 36 years, Karla Gipson (née Widner).

Born in Barberton, Ohio on January 7th, 1952, he was the son of Thomas H. and Margaret Gipson (deceased), the fourth oldest of six siblings. As a kid, Tommy loved playing basketball and baseball with friends at Edison Fields in Norton. He stuck up for himself, even with three older sisters, one younger sister, and one younger brother. Tommy loved reading maps from an early age, riding shotgun next to his dad on family camping trips and helping to navigate their car, “Purple People Eater,” to destinations such as Washington, DC, Fort Ticonderoga, and the Smoky Mountains. As young adult, he acted as a roadie for his friends’ musical group, The Easy Street Band. He proselytized for their act and carried the amplifiers, regardless of obstacles.

Tom was a Norton High School (’70), Akron University (’76), and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (’80) graduate. He applied his law degree as a self-employed family practice attorney for 40 years. He served as a councilman in Norton and later served over 30 years as magistrate in different jurisdictions, holding the Ohio state record of longest-serving magistrate.

Tommy met his future wife, Karla, while both were actors in the play “Front Page” at the Goodyear Theater in 1981. They later married on August 4, 1984.

During family get-togethers, he played the role of Alex Trebek, asking trivia questions and often giving the answer before the music stopped.

A proud member of the Norton Kiwanis Club, his wanderlust was fulfilled through attending Kiwanis conventions all over the nation. His children, Andrew and Allison (Mahbubani), inherited the travel gene, following their own trails to Ithaca, NY and San Antonio, TX, respectively.

He was always proud of his children. When COVID struck, Tom still managed to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding and see his son’s PhD graduation ceremony. Both are very grateful for those final memories with their father.                                          

Tom is survived by his wife of 36 years, Karla; son, Tom, daughter, Allison (Kaitan) Mahbubani; brother, Tim (Kathryn) Gipson; sisters, Leona Gipson, Janet Howard, Patricia (Erich) Bettle and Kathy Rummer.

Friends may call at Bacher Funeral Home, 3250 Greenwich Rd. on Thursday, June 17, 2021 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

 

[Westside Steve]

https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/21400578/Thomas-B-Gipson/Norton/Ohio/Hennessy-Bagnoli-Moore-Funeral-Home

 

 The obituary has been updated, so here's one more thing, there is a reception at his sister's house in Norton right after the calling hours on Thursday.

 I know Browns Board members  are scattered far and wide but if anybody's in the area and cares to attend you can email me at bear222@aol.com for details.

WSS

[Nero]

In Spain we don't make those kind of obituaries, at least not for the average Joe,so I'm thankful of that tradition because I got to know more about Gipper... 

He might have left us too soon, but he had a plentiful and happy life. Thanks for sharing one part of it with us, Thomas. You will be missed. 

[Zombo]

RIP Thomas "Gipper" Gipson 😪

We will send a nice arrangement from The Browns Board to the funeral home by Thursday's reception.

If you'd like contribute, 10 or 20 bucks, or whatever you can, the link is below,

Any surplus will go toward keeping our Browns Board running.

Gipper Memorial Fund

[TexasAg1969]

I was so glad to read that he had been able to attend his daughter's wedding and his son's PHD graduation. He was so looking forward to those. Nice way to go out for sure.

[TexasAg1969]

1 hour ago, Zombo said:

RIP Thomas "Gipper" Gipson 😪

We will send a nice arrangement from The Browns Board to the funeral home by Thursday's reception.

If you'd like contribute, 10 or 20 bucks, or whatever you can, the link is below,

Any surplus will go toward keeping our Browns Board running.

Gipper Memorial Fund

I tried using PayPal but it would not allow that. Any other way?

[Zombo]

Just now, TexasAg1969 said:

I tried using PayPal but it would not allow that. Any other way?

It should work, other people are using it, does your browser block it?

I guess you could Zelle me: johnmeehan401@yahoo.com 

Z

[mjp28]

2 hours ago, TexasAg1969 said:

I tried using PayPal but it would not allow that. Any other way?

I just had to update my PayPal account because I haven't used it in awhile, new password and all of that......took a few tries...... but it finally got going.

One more for the Gipper !

[alporcini]

6 hours ago, Zombo said:

RIP Thomas "Gipper" Gipson 😪

We will send a nice arrangement from The Browns Board to the funeral home by Thursday's reception.

If you'd like contribute, 10 or 20 bucks, or whatever you can, the link is below,

Any surplus will go toward keeping our Browns Board running.

Gipper Memorial Fund

Thanks Zom. One of these days we'll have to hoist a few in person.

[Zombo]

1 hour ago, alporcini said:

Thanks Zom. One of these days we'll have to hoist a few in person.

Absolutely!

Z

[Tour2ma]

8 hours ago, Zombo said:

RIP Thomas "Gipper" Gipson 😪

We will send a nice arrangement from The Browns Board to the funeral home by Thursday's reception.

If you'd like contribute, 10 or 20 bucks, or whatever you can, the link is below,

Any surplus will go toward keeping our Browns Board running.

Gipper Memorial Fund

Done!

[LondonBrown]

9 hours ago, Zombo said:

RIP Thomas "Gipper" Gipson 😪

We will send a nice arrangement from The Browns Board to the funeral home by Thursday's reception.

If you'd like contribute, 10 or 20 bucks, or whatever you can, the link is below,

Any surplus will go toward keeping our Browns Board running.

Gipper Memorial Fund

Awesome. Good work whoever set it up

[Canton Mike]

Sent mine via PayPal...no problem.

 

Mike

[mjp28]

1 hour ago, LondonBrown said:

Awesome. Good work whoever set it up

That whoever would be the great Zombo who does a lot of the seen and unseen work here.

Thanks Z !

[Dutch Oven]

8 minutes ago, Canton Mike said:

Sent mine via PayPal...no problem.

 

Mike

Yeah, I've never used PayPal before and just did it as "Guest" and it was super easy.

[gumby73]

        Always blessed 🙏 to share with this classy Board of Browns Fans....👍

Prayers to the Gipson Family & Friends 🙏

Thanks! to all the members whom posted the great photos..the great post... and to all that kept us updated ... #Bless'em

[Bob806]

Sent. RIP Gipper.

[Tour2ma]

18 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

Yeah, I've never used PayPal before and just did it as "Guest" and it was super easy.

If you have a Discover Card, sign up...

The next three months (July - Sept.) all PayPal transactions earn 5% cashback.

Plus the last three months of the year Amazon is part of the 5% deal.

 

And if you don't have a Discover Card.... get one.

Minimum of 1.5% cashback an all transactions with 5% deal every quarter, and at end of first year they credit you double the cashback total you earned that year.

[Dutch Oven]

5 hours ago, Tour2ma said:

If you have a Discover Card, sign up...

The next three months (July - Sept.) all PayPal transactions earn 5% cashback.

Plus the last three months of the year Amazon is part of the 5% deal.

 

And if you don't have a Discover Card.... get one.

Minimum of 1.5% cashback an all transactions with 5% deal every quarter, and at end of first year they credit you double the cashback total you earned that year.

I'm Italian.

Straight cash, homey. 😋

[Westside Steve]

[Westside Steve]

1 hour ago, Westside Steve said:

Bump

BB on left

[hoorta]

Sorry I couldn't make it- out of the loop on vacation...  

 

[TexasAg1969]

On 6/16/2021 at 8:14 AM, Zombo said:

It should work, other people are using it, does your browser block it?

I guess you could Zelle me: johnmeehan401@yahoo.com 

Z

I would have to open another account to do that. I tried every way possible to get it to accept my paypal to no avail. So instead I will just donate to the BB. Where do I find that link on the BB? Thanks,   Bill

[Zombo]

1 hour ago, TexasAg1969 said:

I would have to open another account to do that. I tried every way possible to get it to accept my paypal to no avail. So instead I will just donate to the BB. Where do I find that link on the BB? Thanks,   Bill

That's a PayPal link, too. We collected more than enough on the flowers, and we have a guy looking at repairing the site this week, so hold onto your dough, Gipper probably wouldn't have been able to PayPal either, so it's quite fitting.

Z

[Tour2ma]

On 6/17/2021 at 6:11 PM, Dutch Oven said:

Straight cash, homey. 😋

 I leave home without it...

 

... and write about two checks a year.

[Riffer X]

Bummer man.

RIP Gipper

[Tour2ma]

On 6/17/2021 at 8:34 PM, Westside Steve said:

Bump

BB on left

Not to get morbid, but was a cause of death determined?

[Westside Steve]

1 hour ago, Tour2ma said:

Not to get morbid, but was a cause of death determined?

  Tommy was an insolent dependent diabetic, which I'm sure exaggerated his ill health.  I'm not aware of an autopsy but:

Four of us, fellow Norton high 70 grads, would go out once in a while and have a beer or three though the Gipper, who rarely had more than a pint of Guinness He regularly complained about his acid reflux.  One of our group is an outspoken RN often badgered Tommy about getting an ECG and not listening to his gastroenterologist but to find a cardiologist, since he had seen so many examples of people confusing heart pain for stomach problems. He was having pains that night and the RN made him promise to call for an  Electrocardiogram the next day.  He said he would though he had told us that before. That morning his wife called me saying that she found him dead.  (They had separate bedrooms) No doubt it was a heart attack. 

  A few of us would watch every Brown's game at somebody's house and he would often leave at halftime because he was so worked up. 

WSS

[ballpeen]

That's sad.  I had another friend some years back who complained to his wife about a upset stomach and told her he was going to lay in bed for a while.  She went to get him for something about 40 minutes later and he was dead in bed.  He was even younger than Tom, maybe 55.

 

I think a lot of us guys tend to ignore, or write off some health things we probably need not ignore.  I am not saying Tom did that in this case, sometimes it is what it is,  but I think we all know it is easy to do.

[Vagitron]

Holy shit. I know he and I beefed but this really, really sucks. He was the joker to my batman. I've had his goofy ass on ignore for a while and I feel bad now. Rest in peace gipper. 😞