Funeral Service for former Tipton resident, Jack Barnett Killebrew, age 92, of Edmond, Oklahoma will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, December 2, 2020, at the Church of Christ, 201 North Broadway, Tipton, Oklahoma with Joe Waugh officiating.  Burial will follow in the Tipton Cemetery under the direction of Jackson Funeral Home of Frederick.   After several years of declining health due to dementia, Mr. Killebrew passed away on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, at the Iris Memory Care Home in Edmond, Oklahoma.  Three weeks prior to his death, he resided at Tamarack Assisted Living Center in Altus, Oklahoma since September 2016.

Jack Barnett Killebrew was born on October 6, 1928, to Thomas Randle and Kay (Barnett) Killebrew in McAlester, Oklahoma.  In 1937, his father moved the family to Tipton, Oklahoma for work with the Gulf Oil Company.  Jack attended Tipton Public Schools, graduating from the Tipton High School with the Class of 1946. He attended college at Southeastern State College where he earned a bachelor's degree in Business Education.  He later received two master degrees, a Masters in Science Education from Southwestern State College and a Masters in Library Science from Oklahoma University.

Jack was drafted into the United States Army in September 1950 during the Korean Conflict.  He was stationed at Ft. Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma during his entire tenure in the army.  The story goes that his bags were packed to go to Korea but his commanding officer said "I'm not training another clerk" and changed his orders to remain in Ft. Sill.

He was united in marriage to Leah Ruth Boyd on August 21, 1952 in Davidson, Oklahoma.  They lived in a little tiny apartment on Cache Road in Lawton during his final year of service and then moved to Lubbock for a few months where Jack thought he might be a builder.  In 1954, missing his beloved Tipton, he moved back and started his teaching career which lasted until 1990.  Holding several roles in the Tipton Public Schools he was a Teacher, Librarian, Federal Programs Administrator and Principal.

Children began to come along, Dan Alan was born in January 1955, Gary Glenn in December 1957 and finally Karen Ruth in May 1960.  The home up on the hill east of Tipton was built by Jack and existed until 1989 when it burned to the ground after a lightning strike. Jack promptly began construction on another home and for the next 20 years Jack & Leah enjoyed their place together until she passed away in 2010 during a bitter Oklahoma Ice Storm.

Jack was president of the Tipton Chamber of Commerce, an Elder in the Church of Christ for many years and also served on the Board for the Tipton Children's Home.  He was always the Tipton Tigers #1 fan, never-ending was his desire to see the young men and women of Tipton succeed.

He is survived by his three brothers, Sam Randle Killebrew and wife Lois of Tipton, Oklahoma,  Robert Dan Killebrew and wife Linda of Altus, Oklahoma, and Thomas Richard Killebrew and wife Sandy of Fayetteville, Arkansas; one son, Dan Killebrew and wife Teresa of Grapevine, Texas; one daughter, Karen Ruth Hale and husband Rob of Edmond, Oklahoma; five grandchildren, Alan Killebrew and wife Christine, Leah Kathryn Freeze and husband David, Leslie Killebrew, Tacy Hale, and Jack Hale and wife Hannah; five great-grandchildren, Emma Killebrew, Seth Killebrew, Emery Freeze, Sylvie Freeze and Ralphie Hale.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Randle Killebrew in 1990 and Kay Barnett Killebrew in 1998; his wife of fifty-eight years, Leah Ruth Boyd Killebrew in 2010; one son, Gary Glenn in 1977; and two sisters Roberta Ann Killebrew as a child in 1943 and Jane Jones Vaughn in 2015.

Memorials contribution may be made to the Tipton Children's Home, P.O. Box 370, Tipton, Oklahoma 73570, in memory of Jack B. Killebrew.

He may be viewed at the Tipton Church of Christ on Wednesday morning from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. or following the service.

The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Tipton Church of Christ facebook page.

** Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, Mask and Social Distancing is requested at the church and graveside. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.