Houston Sipes

Graveside services for William Houston Sipes, Sr. will be held Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 3:00PM at Highland Memorial Gardens with Tim Fortner officiating. Mr. Sipes passed away Friday morning, January 20 at the TN State Veterans Home in Humboldt, Tn. Houston was born and raised in Jackson, the son of the late J.P and Nora Sipes. He attended Jackson City Schools, where he played trombone under C.A. ( Pop) Wallick. He attended Union University, Lambuth College and the Chicago School of Music. He served as band director in Bolivar, Tennessee, and Shelby, MS. Mr. Sipes owned and operated the Pronto Pup, a Jackson landmark, for over 10 years. He spent the last 40 years as manager and co-owner of Wallick Music Company with his late wife, Hope Sipes. Mr. Sipes was a talented musician and had his own band at one time, the Bill Houston Orchestra, he also played and sang with the Tony Wald Band, Allen James and Charley Baker and at one time Brother Dave Gardner was their drummer. His musical talent led to an invitation to play with Richard Hember Orchestra on national radio. Mr. Hember invited Houston to go on tour, but Houston had already enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Mr. Sipes served as a top turret gunner in a B-24 Liberator Bomber during WWII and was credited with 50 missions over Germany, Austria and Italy. He was active in the Jackson Rotary Club and was selected as Rotarian of the Year and a Paul Harris Fellow. Mr. Sipes was very active in the Barbership Quartet and a faithful member of the West Jackson Baptist Church choir for over 40 years where he was also a member of the Robert Nolan Sunday School class. Mr. Sipes is survived by his two sons, Bill Sipes and wife Margaret, Louis Sipes and wife Donna, and two daughters, Gina Fortner and her husband Tim and Carroll Hall and her husband Frank all of Jackson, Tn. Nine grandchildren, William Smith Sipes and wife Allison, John Timothy Fortner,Jr., Benjamin Phillips Fortner, Matthew Sheridan Sipes and wife Ashley, Joseph Franklin Hall, Jr., Caroline Virginia Hall, William Richard Sipes and wife Jade, Carrie Tobin Fortner Irvine and husband Jack, Michelle Sipes Jenkins and husband Mark. Four great grandchildren: Addison Leigh Jenkins, Mckenzie Claire Jenkins, John Alexander Irvine, III and Virginia Tobin Irvine. He is also survived by his brother, Gordon Sipes and sister, Betty Jo Hearn. Mr. Sipes was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Hope Sipes, brother, Lt. Col Arnold Sipes, sister Ruby Sipes Grace. The family wishes to extend their appreciation to the care givers of the TN State Veterans Home in Humboldt for their excellent care of Houston. Pall bearers will be: William Smith Sipes, John Timothy Fortner Jr., Joseph Franklin Hall, Jr., Matthew Sheridan Sipes, Benjamin Phillips Fortner, William Richard Sipes and John Alexander Irvine,Jr. The family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to the Music Ministry at West Jackson Baptist Church, 580 Oil Well Rd, Jackson, TN 38305. The family will be receiving friends on Sunday, January 22, 2012 from 1:30PM until 2:30PM at Arrington Funeral Directors. Arrington Funeral Directors, 148 W. University Parkway, Jackson, TN 38305. www.arringtonfuneralgroup.com .