Mable “Joyce” Tipps

Mable “Joyce” Tipps: August 10, 1935 – December 7, 2025

SCAPPOOSE- Early Sunday morning, December 7, 2025, Mable “Joyce” (Johnson) Tipps, passed away at the age of 90 at her home in Scappoose, Oregon. She entered this world on August 10, 1935, in McAdoo, Texas, the first of five children born to Athel and Laura (Roberts) Johnson. Siblings Jack, Calvin, Frances, and Troy later followed her.
Texas and Washington state were home at different times throughout her childhood. Joyce had a large extended family and an especially close connection with her maternal grandparents, Terril and Myrtle Roberts. She often spoke of the influence they had on her life and strived to be a grandparent as wonderful as Grandpa Roberts. Her grandchildren will attest that she was successful in achieving this goal.
At 17 years of age, Joyce met Kenneth Tipps who was home on leave while serving in the US Air Force. Within two months they were engaged and married shortly after. Together, they enjoyed 66 years of marriage. In the early years of their marriage, they moved frequently, living in several states, until Ken’s honorable discharge in 1956.
The two had four children, Mike (K’Lynn) Tipps, Cindy (Kevin) Lindquist, Shirley (Dave) Ekstrom, and Kendra (Scott) Koopman. In 1982, Holly Rawdon and Terry (Roger) Palmer joined the family, quickly becoming the children of their heart, and permanent members of the family.
Over the years, the Tipps family lived in multiple locations in Texas, Washington, and Oregon. In 1984, they settled in Scappoose, where they planted deep roots in the community, calling it home for the remainder of their lives. Joyce lived her life as a wife of a preacher and a friend to many. She was a wonderful mom, and an amazing grandmother not only to her biological grandchildren, but to countless other children as well.
Joyce thoroughly enjoyed her 14 grandchildren – Randi, Aaron (Erica), and Joel (Jen) Lindquist, Danielle (Chris) Shoemaker, Matthew (Elise) Ekstrom, Kaitlan (Robert) McCormick, Savannah, Levi (Sarah), and Kolette Tipps, Samantha (Ryan) Trotta, Adam Koopman, Amanda (Montana) Brown, Ash Koopman, and Seth Palmer; as well as her 10 great-grandchildren Zachary Ekstrom, Bennett Shoemaker, Madison, Matthew Jr., and Mirabelle Ekstrom, Kylee, and Emory Lindquist, Violette Brown, Hallie, and soon to be born Chloe Tipps.
Joyce more than lived up to her goal of being an amazing Grandparent. She was put on this earth for that job. She had a unique relationship with every single one of them and is the inspiration for many people wanting to be a grandparent as involved as she. Like her grandparents, her influence will continue for generations.
The other love of her life was God. She had faith in Christ and lived that faith to her final breath. She did not fear death. She was prepared for it. Joyce lived what she believed. She loved people and went out of her way to be a blessing to others. Dozens of people lived in her home at different times over the years. She always made room. She fed many people even when money was tight for her own food budget. She bought diapers for young mothers and gave blankets to people that needed warmth. In recent years her children cautioned her about keeping herself safe when strangers came knocking on her door. She eventually agreed to some of the safety requests, but refused to let the potential risks keep her from helping others.
Joyce did an incredible job of living her life as a Christian. The Scappoose Church of Christ has been her church family for the past 41 years. She loved them deeply. The OWLS, a group of women from her church, have held a special place in her heart for the past six years. These women became like sisters to her after her husband Ken died in 2019. Because they were so special to her, they are also very special to Joyce’s children.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Scappoose Church of Christ. A private burial for the family will take place at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.
If you would like to make a donation in Joyce’s memory, please consider donating to a Crisis Pregnancy Center near you or at Columbia Pregnancy Center in St. Helens, Oregon.