Alvin Kiphen September 30, 1930 – January 25, 2022

Alvin Kiphen

September 30, 1930 – January 25, 2022

Alvin Kiphen, age 91, of Gatesville, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Gatesville.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, at Bethel Heights Baptist Church, with Rev. Edwin Brooks officiating. Burial will follow at Hemmeline Cemetery.

Alvin Francis Kiphen, Sr. was born on Sept. 16, 1930, in Gatesville, to the late Arthur and Minnie Massirer Kiphen. He grew up in Gatesville and attended school in the Plainview community. He was a lifetime member and ordained deacon of Bethel Heights Baptist Church. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1952, serving in the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1954. He was a lifelong farmer and built stock tanks. He worked for Coryell County Road and Bridge for ten years, retiring in 1996. He was a Charter Member of the Hemmeline Cemetery Association that was founded in 1974. He had been serving as a Trustee and was President and Vice-President for many years.

Some of Alvin’s best time spent was “supervising” his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He enjoyed breakfast at El Tapatio west with his friend, Kenny Crawford. The waitresses there adopted him as their “Grandpa.”

He was preceded in death by a son, Alvin (Vin) Kiphen, Jr.; brother, Roy Kiphen; and a sister, Ruth Kiphen Parker.

Alvin is survived by his daughter, Becky Hitt; son, Sid Kiphen and wife, Lisa; brother, Eugene Kiphen and wife, Virginia; four grandchildren, Justin Hitt and wife, Christa, Kasey Kiphen, Honey Bays and husband, Denny, Heather Sigler; four great- grandchildren, Harper and Sydnee Hitt and Brayden and Presley Bays; and many nieces and nephews, that refer to him as “Uncle Shorty.”

In lieu of flowers, the family has designated that memorials be made to Hemmeline Cemetery Assn., 1050 FM 1783, Gatesville, TX 76528.