Elizabeth May Tipton, 85, of Ponca City, formerly of Eufaula, passed away peacefully on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025. Born on May 17, 1940, to Basil Duke and Clara May (Thomas) Talbot, Elizabeth’s life was characterized by love, adventure, and an unwavering spirit of generosity.
Elizabeth met the love of her life, Albert Wayne Tipton while he was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. They shared a remarkable 61-year marriage filled with devotion, laughter, and countless cherished memories.
They established a warm and welcoming home on their farm in Missouri, where their doors and hearts were always open to anyone in need. Known as caring and dependable neighbors, they later settled in Eufaula, Oklahoma, where they resided for over 30 years. In their later years, Elizabeth and Albert enjoyed traveling and working together on various projects Wayne managed, as well as spending time with their family.
Elizabeth – known affectionately as “Liz” – loved being outdoors tending her garden, the more than occasional garage sale, and her service in the Eastern Star community. Liz was even honored as Grand Adah for the state of Oklahoma, for diligently serving the Eastern Star community for numerous years. Liz treasured time with her children, took great pride in being a loving “Neema” to her grandchildren and neighborhood children alike.
Liz had an entrepreneurial spirit, and she ventured into various business endeavors, which included owning a Tavern, a Navajo Trading Post, a Variety Store, an antique store, and Liz’s Body Toners. She became certified in reflexology, raised and sold exotic birds, and invested in rental property – always driven by curiosity, determination, and a willingness to try something new.
Above all, Liz was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Eufaula. Her faith guided her life and shaped the kindness and compassion she showed to everyone she met.
Elizabeth is survived by her loving children: Becky Gribben and husband Tim of Tulsa; Mike Tipton and wife Jeanne of Tucumcari, New Mexico; and Sonja Long and husband Jay of Ponca City, Oklahoma. She leaves behind a legacy of love through her seven grandchildren – Emily, Ashley, Travis, Adam, Mariah, Presley, and Jack – alongside their families, including seven great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by her dear sisters: Julie Ray and husband Ernie of Laquey, Missouri; Patricia Frazier and husband Thomas of Camdenton, Missouri, and Mona Jackson and husband Dwight of Pittsburg, Missouri. Elizabeth is preceded in death by her parents, Basil and Clara Talbot, her beloved husband Albert, as well as her brothers Chester H. Talbot Sr., Basil Franklin “Bill” Talbot, and Charles W. Talbot, her sisters Virginia Hutchison, Lottie L. Gibson, Lillie Esther Pitschneider, Gwendolyn Jane Bolte, and her granddaughter Stephanie Holden.
A funeral service to honor Elizabeth’s life was held at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026, at the Kelley Memorial Chapel, with burial following at the Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Hunn, Black, & Merritt Funeral Home.
Friends and family are invited to leave their condolences online at www.hbmfuneralhome. com. Elizabeth will be deeply missed, but her kind spirit and cherished memories will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved her.
