Jim Sipe

January 24, 1960 - July 18, 2017

James (Jim) Allen Sipe, 57, died peacefully surrounded by family and friends on July 18, 2017, at Wellmont Holston Valley Hospital in Kingsport, Tennessee, after a brief illness. He was born on January 24, 1960, in Kingsport.

He was a dedicated member and part of the family of Deacons of Calvary Baptist Church where he was a faithful participant in the Victory Sunday School Class. He attended Mafair United Methodist Church in his youth and maintained friendships with members of the congregation. Jim remained a lifelong fan of Dobyns-Bennett football and served with WKPT and ESPN Tri-Cities as the statistics host on the Voice of the Indians radio show for over 30 years.

Jim received his education at Dobyns-Bennett High School, where he earned letters in football and track and was known as “Thunder Foot Sipe.” He earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Technological University where he also played football. Jim was employed by the City of Johnson City as a Project Manager for the Water and Sewer Department. He was a member of the Washington County Emergency Management Team and worked with the Haz-Mat team. He also was a 34-year member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles A. Sipe, Jr.; his mother, Nelle H. Sipe; and his brother, George William Sipe.

Jim is survived by his wife, Phyllis B. Sipe; son Justin Wright and wife, Elizabeth, of Safety Harbor, Florida; son TSGT Jay T. Wright, USAF (Ret.), Cocoa, Florida, and Joanna Pulichene; one nephew, Braden Bowen, of Culloden, West Virginia; one sister-in-law, Cathy Bowen, and Randy Hill of Atlanta, Georgia; and one brother-in-law, Bill Bowen, of Kingsport. He is also survived by many very close friends who he considered to be his family.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, July 20, from 11 am to 2 pm at Calvary Baptist Church, 1238 Pine Street, Kingsport, Tennessee. Services will follow at 2:00 pm with Pastor Donnie Brannen officiating. Crosswise will provide music. Graveside services will be held immediately following the service at East Lawn Memorial Park, 4997 Memorial Blvd, Kingsport.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Calvary Victory Sunday School Class. Pallbearers will be Steve Bingham, Braden Bowen, Gordon Cox, Randy Hill, Brad Hoover, Chad Shanks, Brian Trent, and Mike Trent.

The family would like to extend sincere gratitude to the nursing staff of Wellmont Wilcox Hall W3 for their dedicated and professional service to Jim during the past week.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Dobyns-Bennett Football (Dobyns-Bennett Athletics), 1 Tribe Way, Kingsport, Tennessee 37664, or Calvary Baptist Church, 1238 Pine Street, Kingsport, Tennessee 37664.

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