A most wonderful, kind, and generous soul, who lived a long and fruitful life, Charles (Sandy) Tippetts, Jr. died in Fernandina Beach, Florida early in the morning on September 9, 2022, at the age of 97.

Sandy attended Mercersburg Academy and Princeton University prior to serving in the Second World War with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Upon returning from the war, he completed his undergraduate education at Princeton in 1949, and went on to study premedical sciences at University of Pittsburgh. Then he pursued a MD degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, graduating in 1954. Meanwhile, his future wife, Marion Hamer was completing her studies, near-by, at University of Pennsylvania. They were married in June, that same year, in the Mercersburg Academy Chapel. (Sandy’s father was the headmaster, while Marion’s mother and father had been teachers at the academy).

Sandy and Marion moved to Salem, briefly, and then to Marblehead Massachusetts, where he had a rotating internship, followed by a position as an assistant medical resident at Salem Hospital. From 1956-1987 Sandy conducted a private practice of family medicine, while furthering his education in internal medicine. Over time, three board-certified internists, who are lifelong friends, joined Sandy to form a group practice for coverage.

In addition to his busy medical practice, Sandy was appointed Assistant Professor of Community Medicine at Boston University Medical School, teaching physical diagnosis to medical students; and he served as a preceptor for community rotations of medical students from Tufts University, Boston University Medical School, and University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Professionally, Sandy was an active member of Salem Hospital, Shaughnessy Hospital, both in Salem; and the Mary A. Alley Hospital in Marblehead; and emeritus staff of Salem Hospital since 1988. At Salem Hospital he served as Chief of General Practice and Out-Patient Services, Medical Director of the Hospital’s Narcotic Detoxification Program, and Acting Director of Emergency Services. At Mary A. Alley Hospital he served as the Chief of the Medical Service.

During the 32 years spent in the historic village of Marblehead, Sandy and Marion enjoyed their life living on the water, exploring the wonderful small harbors and islands, and taking care of an old wooden sailboat before replacing it with a far easier to maintain fiberglass sailboat; along with the challenges of raising two daughters.

In 1987, Sandy and Marion moved to Amelia Island Florida and Sandy’s retirement was short lived, when in 1988, he joined Dr. Willis Keene’s medical practice in Kingsland and Folkston, Georgia, where he worked until 2010. Then, Sandy side-stepped retirement again and donated his time and expertise to the Good Samaritan Clinic at Barnabas Heath Services in Fernandina Beach, until the age of ninety-one. During these years he, also, volunteered at Habitat for Humanity.

Sandy continued to enjoy his time with Marion and his family, swimming, biking, and on his own, fishing. Sandy is known by his neighbors for his generosity and analytical mind, and he was always helping friends and anyone who would ask for medical advice. His keen interest in medicine never waned and continued until his death. A medical journal could always be found close-by, and he took great pride in having read every one of them since 1954.

Sandy is survived by his wife of 68 years, Marion Hamer Tippetts from Fernandina Beach, Florida and daughter, Caroline Tippetts and her companion, Kent Fadeley from Fernandina Beach; and daughter, Wendy Tippetts and her husband, Thomas Richards, both from Lancaster, Pennsylvania; along with numerous nieces and nephews and their children.

There will be a private family service held in the future. Any donations, should people be so inclined, can be made in Charles S. Tippetts memory to a charity of choice.