F. Judson Hipps

F. Judson Hipps, 94, of Brevard, passed away on November 29, 2023. A native of Buncombe County, he was the son of the late Floyd Raymond and Gladys Lindsey Hipps. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Sorrells Hipps; his granddaughter, Kristie L. Hughes and his two brothers and three sisters.

A man of humble beginnings, having been born at the beginning of the Great Depression, his early years were spent in what he called a hard-scrabble existence. With his parents and siblings, he lived in a three room shack on land that his uncle provided in the shadow of Cold Mountain before moving to Asheville where he met Dottie- his future wife of 54 years. His first two years of college were at what then was Asheville-Biltmore where he played fullback on the football team.

At UNC-Chapel Hill he took a chance course in geology and fell in love with it, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology.

An early enchantment of the Wild West and a desire to prospect for black gold led him to apply for a job as a petroleum geologist. He spent 15 years at what was then known as Cities Service, often transferred from Texas to Oklahoma to Kansas before finally settling in Kansas to work with small production companies.

     He was a cradle Episcopalian with a strong faith and was active in the Church his whole life serving as Senior Warden, Chalice bearer, and Lay Reader. He received the Golden Hammer Award from Habitat for Humanity and served with Meals on Wheels until he could no longer drive safely.

Jud was the epitome of a “gentleman sportsman.” He enjoyed hunting pheasant and quail in Kansas, fishing from the mountain streams of western North Carolina to the Rio Grande, the White and the Mackinaw. He would go on a number of trips north for salmon in Alaska, Northern Pike in the Yukon, and Silver Salmon in Prince William sound. He slept on the ground and fished from a canoe in the Boundary Waters in his late 80's with his son, grandson, and two great grandsons, and fly fished the Bighorn in Montana at 90. At 91 he whitewater rafted down the Tuckasegee and caught smallmouth from Fontana.  One of his fishing friends said that somehow he was a perfect gentleman and a rascal at the same time.

Most people that knew Jud in his later life in Brevard would agree with the nickname given to him in the rough and tumble oil patch-"Smiles".

His loving survivors include his children: Vicki Sheedy (Michael), Alan H. Hipps (Debbie) and Lisa H. Lacy (Paul); his grandchildren: Matthew Hughes (Cindy), Emily Cullinan (Shawn), Katherine Stockton (Greg), Bethany Ethridge (Shane) and Jamie Lacy; great-grandchildren Ethan Bain, Wyatt Hughes, Noah Cullinan, Luke Cullinan, Lauren Amos and Sophie Ethridge.

A private family memorial is planned for a later date.

To leave a memory or condolence for the family of Judson Hipps, please go to the on-line registry at “Tributes” at www.mooreblanchard.com

Moore-Blanchard Funerals & Cremations is honored to serve the family.