Ralph U. Tibbs

Ralph U. Tibbs, 86, of Austin, Ark., formerly of Poplar Bluff died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 at the Little Rock VA Hospice Center in Little Rock.
Mr. Tibbs was born March 28, 1924 in Butler County, and lived most all of his life in Poplar Bluff. He graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1943. In 2006, he moved to Arkansas to live with his daughter and receive treatment for Multiple Myeloma at the VA Center in Little Rock. During his early years Mr. Tibbs worked for Midwest Dairy and Hart's Bread Co. He also sold Volkswagen cars and later retired as a furniture salesman. Mr. Tibbs enjoyed spending time with his family, gardening, hunting, reading his Bible and living and sharing his faith. He was a WWII veteran of the U. S. Army Air Corp and was awarded 3 Bronze Stars, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Campaign Ribbon, American Theatre Campaign Ribbon with one Overseas Service Bar, Victory Ribbon and Philippine Liberation Ribbon with Bronze Star.
In 1947, he was married to Mary Lee Parsons. In 1974, he married Betty Lou Tennison Fowler. She survives.
Other survivors include 5 children: Marion Tibbs and wife Sharon of Poplar Bluff, Larry Allen Tibbs and wife Barbara of Sunrise Beach, Mo., Darlene Yancey and husband Roger of Evans, Ga., Ron Tibbs and wife Paula of Poplar Bluff and Sheena Carson and husband Kit of Austin, Ark.; 14 grandchildren: Michelle Bates and husband Doug and Brian Tibbs and wife Lori all of Poplar Bluff, Kim Evans and husband Scott of St. Ann Mo., Stacey Newberry of Chesterfield, Mo., Mark Tibbs of Poplar Bluff, Jamie Kellerman and husband Duane of Altamont, Kans., Becky Jones and husband Will of Omaha, Nebr., Marsha Lewis and husband Matt of Marietta, Ga., Warren Yancey and wife Lauren of Grovetown, Ga., Brent Cooper and wife Terrye of Cabot, Ark., Chris Glass and wife Katie of Poplar Bluff, Misty Hill and Kit Carson, Jr. both of Alexander, Ark. and Sheryne Wilkerson of Doniphan, Mo.; 25 great-grandchildren: Kelsey and Kaylee Bates , Lucas, Tyson and Tanner Tibbs, Amber and Alexis Tibbs and Crystal, Brayden, Rowan and Willow Glass all of Poplar Bluff, Amber Tibbs and Tyler Evans of St. Ann, Mo., Mallory and Madison Newberry of Chesterfield, Mo., West Yancey of Grovetown, Ga., Hunter and Kaden Kellerman of Altamont, Kans., Chloe, Kristen and Alexis Jones of Omaha, Neb., and Hana, Jordan and Camryn Cooper of Cabot, Ark.; 5 step-children: Pam Madden and husband Mark of Mountain View, Calif., Steve S. Hubbard and wife LaNell, Dennis Hubbard and wife Jackie and Carla Hodge all of Poplar Bluff and Mike Hubbard and wife Becky of Troy, Mo.; 12 step-grandchildren: Steven C. Hubbard and Chance Hubbard of Grandin, Mo., Tia Hubbard of Elizabethtown, Ky.; Chris Hubbard of Powell, Wyo., Billy and Amber and Destry Mitchell of St. Louis and Jeremy, Justin and Jennifer Hubbard, Brandy Magill and husband Jeff and Brittany Hodge all of Poplar Bluff; 8 step-great-grandchildren: Steven K. Hubbard, of Grandin, Mo., Jacob and Mekaila Magill and Caden Hubbard all of Poplar Bluff, Krysta and Jayden Hubbard of Powell, Wyo., and Destiny and Chris Hubbard of Elizabethtown, Ky.; a sister, Lorene Scott of Poplar Bluff; 2 brothers, Leo Tibbs of Dexter, Mo. and John Tibbs and wife Mary Ellen of Poplar Bluff; a special aunt, Vi Sisk of Poplar Bluff; a special uncle, Howard Hellums and wife Annalee of Florida; and many other aunts, uncles and cousins.
His parents, James Wesley and Dona (Hellums) Tibbs, sister, Grace Tibbs, brothers, Evert Tibbs and Richard Tibbs, sister-in-law, Chris Tibbs, brother-in-law, Ed Scott and many other family members preceded him in death.
The family will receive and visit with friends and relatives beginning at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. A memorial service will follow at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel with Pastor Glenn Marshall officiating and Dr. Burton Cox assisting. Interment with full military honors will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Poplar Bluff at a later date.
Memorials may be made to the United Cancer Assistance Network (UCAN), 1419 Maud St., Poplar Bluff, MO 63901, or to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 412, Poplar Bluff, MO 63902.
Family and friends may share an online condolence or memory at www.cotrellfuneralservice.com.