Larry Tipton was the kind of person who showed up. Whether a friend needed help, one of his daughters had a house that needed remodeling, or a stranger simply needed someone to talk to, Larry was generous with his time, his talents, and himself. He truly never met a stranger and was known for being willing to give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it.

A structural engineer by profession, Larry could design, build, repair, or figure out just about anything. When he wasn’t working on a project, he loved deer hunting on his East Texas property, fishing, and watching college football. 

In August 2026, at just 67 years old, Larry began experiencing unusual vision problems. Within weeks, those symptoms progressed into difficulties with language, cognition, and coordination. After extensive testing, our family received the devastating diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and rapidly progressive prion disease. What began with visual changes progressed with a speed we could never have imagined, taking our dad from an active, fiercely independent man to needing around-the-clock care in a matter of weeks. Larry passed away on September 29, in Carlisle, Texas, surrounded by his family. 

There is currently no cure for CJD. The CJD Foundation supports families facing prion disease, while also funding education and research aimed at better understanding these diseases and ultimately finding effective treatments and a cure.

Helping other people was simply part of who our dad was. We can think of no more fitting way to honor him than to continue that legacy of generosity by helping other families who will face this devastating disease and supporting the research that may one day give them something our family did not have: hope for a treatment.

We invite those who loved Larry to make a donation in his memory to the CJD Foundation. Every gift, no matter the size, carries forward a little of the generosity he showed throughout his life.