Dennis L. Tipps, age 79 passed away January 18, 2019 at home with his beloved wife Patti and son Denny II at his side.
He was born August 19, 1939 in San Fernando, CA to B.L. and Louise Tipps. Dennis attended high school in San Fernando, CA where he played football and track. He went on to college at Redlands College in California where he played football. He had a short career with the Dallas Cowboys. He then started a career with the Los Angeles Police Department. He was appointed 10-24-1960. He had an amazing career on the department, being one of the first members of L.A.P.D. SWAT. While on the department, he coached and played for the Los Angeles Centurians football team. He retired from L.A.P.D. on January 1, 1981.
He moved his family to Stevensville, Montana for his boys to have a better life. He became Chief of Police in Stevensville in 1981 and stepped down in 1983. He opened Tipps On Guns and continued that until 2015. He was an amazing gunsmith where he did normal gunsmithing and even built guns for movies and TV shows. He started coaching track and football in 1983 and coached until 2001. He loved coaching and working with kids.
Dennis was a devoted husband to his wife Patti for 45 amazing years. Dennis had three sons, Greg, Shawn and Denny II.
Dennis enters into Heaven to be with his Mom and Dad and son Shawn. He is survived by his beloved wife Patti; son Greg, his wife Nadine, their kids Kyla and her husband Tyson and their kids Elena, Rachael, Monty and Mason; son Denny II, his wife Kayla, their kids Dylan, Jadon and Dane; mother-in-law Patricia Dunham, sister-in-law Debbie Hamel and her husband Bob; Coke Kelly and her kids Patti Jo and her husband Jimmy and their kids, Debbie Jo her husband Mike and their kids, Joey Kelly and Jason Kelly and their families.
Funeral services will be held at the Methodist Church in Stevensville, MT on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery. A luncheon will follow back at the Methodist Church.