Melvin Pipkin

Retired USAF Master Sgt. Melvin Wicker Pipkin, of Chattanooga, died on Monday, Aug. 4, 2014. He was born May 12, 1928, in David City, Neb., the fourth of five children born to Melvin and Cora Pipkin. Mel joined the merchant marines at the age of seventeen and traveled to many parts of the world before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1947. While stationed in Germany, taking part in the Berlin Airlift, Sgt. Pipkin met and married the love of his life Trudy, a beautiful young German woman, with whom he enjoyed over 61 years of marriage. Over those years, Mel and Trudy lived in California, Nebraska, Spain, Kansas, Germany, Colorado, Florida, and Tennessee. Sgt. Pipkin also served his country in Vietnam during the crucial time of the Tet Offensive. He retired from the Air Force as a Master Sargent in 1974, after 26 years of dedicated service. Mel and Trudy have four children, Donald and his wife, Kim, of Centennial, Colo., Rose Keefe of Aurora, Colo., Ron Pipkin and his wife, Gayla, of Black Forest, Colo., and Tom Pipkin and his wife, Dawn, of The Dalles, Ore. Their grandchildren include Shannon, Jamie, Keith, Cody, Ryan, John, Luke, Joshua, and Hope. They also have three great-grandchildren, Cameron, Aiden and James. Mel will be remembered as a loving father and a devoted husband who put his family before everything else. He was known for his countless home improvement projects, landscaping, gardening and mechanical skills. Mel was a friend to many. He was strong and reserved, but always had a good sense of humor and an eagerness to engage in conversation with strangers. He will be missed by all of us as he goes now into Gods loving care. A memorial service of witness to the resurrection will take place in Colorado. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthcahpel.com. Arrangements are by East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home.