Tipsword, Ray F.

Ray F. Tipsword passed away Friday, December 4, 2009, at Lewis Gale Hospital. He was born at home September 9, 1931, near Beecher City, Illinois.

Ray completed a double major in Physics and Mathematics with minors in Chemistry and Education at Eastern Illinois State University, Charleston, Illinois. After undergraduate school, he began his postgraduate education at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois where he received his Master’s degree. Ray spent several years teaching Physics at the University of Missouri at Rolla, Missouri before enrolling at University of Alabama to complete a PhD in Physics. He and his family moved to Blacksburg in 1964, when he accepted a position at Virginia Tech. While at Virginia Tech, he not only taught all level of physics classes, but also directed numerous PhD graduate dissertations and spent several years as department head. He received numerous prestigious teaching awards including the WINE award in 1986. Ray retired from Virginia Tech in 1992. He was also a veteran of the Korean War.

Ray is survived by his wife of 57 years, Betty Seybert Tipsword; a son, Stephen Ray Tipsword, of Gordonsville , Virginia; and a daughter, Pamela Jean Tipsword and son-in-law, Mel Goldstein, of Roanoke, Virginia Other close relatives are a sister-in-law, Billie Tipsword, of Lerna , Illinois; and a cousin, Nancy Cobetto, of Springfield, Illinois.

A memorial service will be planned for January. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Ray F. Tipsword Graduate Scholarship at Virginia Tech.

The Tipsword family is being served by John M. Oakey & Son, Salem, 389-5441.