Stephen W. Tibbitts went to be with Jesus Oct. 3, 2019, after a biking accident in Granite Shoals, Texas. Stephen was born in New York, the second child to John and Helen Tibbitts. After high school, he attended the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1975. He swam competitively and qualified for the NCAA Division I championship meet all four years.

He next attended medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans. He began his 20-year career in the Air Force at Keesler AFB where he met a captivating young nurse from Iowa named Diana DeGrange. They were married Sept. 6, 1980, and have three children. They were fortunate to spend four years stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, and travelled extensively throughout Europe. Stephen also served at Sheppard AFB, Lackland AFB, Myrtle Beach AFB, and Wright-Patterson AFB.

Upon his Air Force retirement at the rank of lieutenant colonel, Stephen worked 23 years as a radiologist in Victoria, Texas. One of the hospitals he covered his entire private practice career dedicated their new MRI suite in his name on Jan. 15, 2020. It was a touching public tribute acknowledging the value and respect his colleagues had for his expertise and compassionate care.

Stephen also volunteered at his churches, led Boy Scouts, coached Little League baseball, acted as swim team and soccer booster club presidents along with a host of other activities that supported his kids’ endeavors. He enjoyed the outdoors: biking, swimming, windsurfing, kayaking, golfing, snow-skiing, gardening and spending time on Lake LBJ with his family and friends.

Stephen had retired last August and was looking forward to more time with family, completing obedience class with his Australian shepherd puppy and his hobby of collecting and repairing antique clocks. He and his wife were looking forward to traveling to see dear friends. The relationships built during their Air Force years and beyond were significant, cherished and lifelong.

Stephen is survived by his wife of 39 years, Diana, and their children Jessica (Unruh, Zachary of Hesston, Kans.), Adam (Dallas, Texas), and Luke (Lexington, Ky.). He has three grandchildren: Dylan, Harrison and Sadie Unruh. He is also survived by his father, siblings, brothers-in-law and their families. He is preceded in death by his mother and in-laws.

A memorial service was held in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, overlooking Lake LBJ on Oct. 12, 2019. We, his family, were touched how many people from different walks of our lives attended the service. We were grateful to toast his memory with multiple medical school classmates, including fellow USAFA graduates Dr. Dennis Carter and Dr. Bill Young. Stephen was laid to rest in Donnellson, Iowa, on Oct. 19, 2019.

Online condolences may be made at www.clementswilcoxfuneralhome. com. If you feel moved, donations can be made to Haiti Share – www. haitishare.org, a ministry started and run by a member of their local church. We are thankful Stephen put his faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and his salvation. We are greatly comforted that anyone who chooses to claim Jesus as Lord and Savior will see Stephen again someday in heaven. 

Jessica Tibbitts Unruh, Stephen’s daughter  |  March 2020

 

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Stephen Tibbitts went to be with Jesus Thursday Oct 3, 2019 in Granite Shoals, Texas. Stephen was born in New York, the second child to John and Helen Tibbitts. After high school, he attended the United States Air Force Academy and swam competitively all four years. He next attended medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans. He began his 20 year career in the Air Force in Biloxi, Mississippi where he met a captivating young nurse from Iowa named Diana DeGrange. They were married September 6, 1980 and have three children. They were fortunate to spend four years stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany and travelled extensively throughout Europe. 

Upon his retirement from the Air Force, Steve worked 23 years as a private practice radiologist in Victoria, Texas. Steve volunteered at Parkway Church, coaching little league baseball, acted as swim team and soccer booster club presidents along with a host of other activities. He enjoyed the outdoors: biking, swimming, wind-surfing, snow-skiing, gardening, and spending time on Lake LBJ with his family and friends. Steve had just retired and was looking forward to more time with family, traveling with his wife, completing obedience class with his Australian shepherd puppy and his hobby of collecting and repairing antique clocks. 

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Diana and their children Jessica (Unruh, Zachary), Adam, and Luke. He has three grandchildren: Dylan, Harrison, and Sadie Unruh. He is also survived by his father and three siblings, Tibi, Connie, and Peter and their families. Steve has multiple brother-in-laws: David. Jeffery, and Eric DeGrange and their families. He is preceded in death by his mother earlier this year and his in-laws, Elton and Bess DeGrange.

A visitation will be Saturday Oct 12, 2019 at 9 am with a memorial service to follow on-site at 10 am at The Church at Horseshoe Bay in Marble Falls, Texas. The burial will be the following weekend in Iowa. Flowers can be sent to The Church at Horseshoe Bay, 600 Hi Ridge, Horseshoe Bay, Texas or in-lieu of flowers donations can be made to Haiti Share - www.haitishare.org.

Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home  | October 2019

You won’t find a smarter, nicer, more sincere guy in all your life! He was and is the absolute best! While others struggled academically (like me, the football player) Steve helped tutor his classmates. He was a man of character. He loved the Lord and it showed in his personal life......not in a showy fashion, but in his behavior and his concern for others. I will miss him a lot. I love both him and Diana. His kids were so fortunate to have both of them for so many years. God Bless and Pray for this special family.

– Bill Murray