Mavis Mae Tipton

Mavis Mae Tipton, a lifelong resident of Carroll County, always told her kids, “If you don’t have fun, it’s your own fault.” At the age of 92, Mavis passed away January 9, 2023, at Big Meadows Nursing Center in Savanna. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10 am Monday, January 16, 2023 at the Church of God, Mt. Carroll. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Mt. Carroll. Visitation will be held from 3 – 6 pm Sunday, January 15, 2023 at the Church of God, Mt. Carroll.

Mavis was born April 13, 1930 in Woodland Township, the daughter of Joseph Jr. and Mabel (Bowman) Haas. She attended the Pleasant Valley Country School and Mt. Carroll Schools. At the age of fifteen, she went to work for a family in Morrison, at their home caring for children and in their café. She met the love of her life when Frankie Tipton worked on her father’s farm. Frankie would say, “I chased Mavis until she caught me!”

On April 19, 1947 Mavis and Frankie were married in Pleasant Valley. They raised seven children, Myra, Esther, Mabel Mae, Frank, Christie, Fred, and Jeannie. Mavis and Frankie were always supportive of each other and celebrated 69 years of marriage until Frankie’s passing in 2016.

She always believed in making life fun, especially when there were chores to do. She loved gardening, working outside and cooking, her specialties were cinnamon rolls and Muldasche (pronounced malldasha). A fond memory of the family is gatherings on Sunday afternoons, and smelling the fried chicken or roast when they got home from church. They all remember Mavis being humble, sincere, and faithful. She was always in their corner and encouraged her kids to get involved in life. Her infectious laugh was known by many.

Mavis had a strong faith throughout her life. She was a member of the Mt. Carroll Church of God, and a previous member of the Argo Fay Methodist Church. She was also a hard worker throughout life. In younger years, working at Pauley’s Café and Myrna’s Café in Mt. Carroll, then Eaton in Savanna, GE in Morrison, Wildwood Farms in Ideal and Big Meadows. She would say, “The best job of my life was raising my family.” She was always there.

Mavis will be dearly missed by her seven children, Myra (Larry) Pearce of Stockton, Esther Smith of Erie, Mabel Mae (Mikel) Stiles of Fulton, Frank “Babe” Tipton of Thomson, Christie (Ray) Grim of Mt. Carroll, Fred (Rhonda) Tipton of Savanna, and Jeannie Marie (Virgil) Brinkmeier of Sun Lakes, Arizona; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren, with one on-the-way; 7 great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Joyce Gray of Rockford.

Mavis is preceded in death by her husband Frankie; one son-in-law, Kenny Smith; two granddaughters, Libby Thulen and Kristy Schultz Pearce; a great-great-grandson, Peyton Eden; one sister, Vera Mackey, three brothers, Merle (in infancy), Gerald and Herbert Haas.