Reverend Joe David Philpott - Cisco

Reverend Joe David Philpott, 81, of Abilene and formerly of Cisco, went to be with his personal savior, Jesus Christ, on January 27, 2010, after a short illness. Services will be Saturday at 11:00 AM in the Kimbrough Funeral Chapel in Cisco. Reverend Bruce Stovall, assisted by Reverend Bayless Pope, will officiate. Burial will follow in the Cisco Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be 5~7:00 PM Friday in the Kimbrough Chapel.

Joe is survived by his wife of 56 years, Bettye Jean Mallow Philpott and his three children, Mary K., Amy and Barton, all of Abilene. Joe was a loving husband and a shining Christian example for his children. He loved to laugh and had many friends. He loved growing up and living in Cisco and loved the people in Cisco.

Joe was born June 8, 1928, in Vernon, Texas, to Barton and Alma (Moore) Philpott. The family moved to Cisco soon after Joe was born to establish the second of two Philpott Florists. His grandparents, W. A. and Mary Bellah Philpott, along with their daughter, Ruth Lovelady, and her husband, Wylie, established the original Philpott Florists in Abilene in March 1920. The family owned floral businesses in Vernon & Sweetwater. Even though both florists were eventually sold out of the Philpott family, the Philpott name was retained.

At age nine, because of the untimely death of his father, a big void was filled in Joe’s life by the boyscouts. He and his brother, Bill, enjoyed many summers at Camp Billy Gibbons, and one of Joe’s proudest accomplishments was earning his Eagle Scout Badge.

Joe married Bettye Jean Mallow on April 10, 1953, in Monahans, Texas. He always credited her for being the reason he proudly received a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from

“the then Texas A & M College” in 1959. In 1971, Joe and Bettye returned to live in Cisco and joined the First Baptist Church where Joe served as a deacon and later surrendered to preach the gospel. He was ordained as a minister there in 1976. His first pastorate was at Mitchell Baptist Church where he preached for many years before being called to Pleasant Hill Baptist where he retired in January 2003. While preaching, Joe also worked for Halliburton Oil Well Services and

eventually retired from the Abilene Camp in September 1991. Joe was also active in the Navy Reserves for 40 years.

At the time of his death, Joe and Bettye were living in Abilene with their daughter. Joe loved God, life, his family and his friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

The family requests that memorials be made to the Cisco Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 67, Cisco, TX 76437.