~ IN MEMORY ~
Navy veteran, PAA/DL Capt. Richard Michael Pipkin
April 5, 1936 - February 14, 2025
Richard Michael Pipkin, known to friends and
family as "Mike," passed away peacefully and surrounded by loved ones………………………
Mike first joined Pan Am 09-05-1967 and retired
with Delta Air Lines based New York. Widowed
in November 2021, Mike is survived by two of his sons and by his grandchildren.
PCN memorial site :
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/newsobserver/name/richard-pipkin-obituary?id=57584885
Richard Pipkin Obituary
Richard Michael Pipkin
April 5, 1936 - February 14, 2025
Chapel Hill, North Carolina - Richard Michael
Pipkin, known to friends and family as "Mike," passed away peacefully
and surrounded by loved ones at home the morning of Friday, February 14, 2025.
Mike was born in Statesville, NC to Robert Glenn
Pipkin, Sr. and Elizabeth Holler Pipkin. He attended Statesville High School
where he played football and was an undefeated, multi-year state champion
wrestler. Statesville was also where Mike met the love of his life, Barbara
Dearman, on June 8, 1950. Eventually, Barbara "pinned" the multi-year
state champion wrestler and they married in 1956. Mike never referred to that
final match as a loss, but as his finest victory.
Following high school graduation, Mike attended
UNC Chapel Hill, Furman, and graduated from Wofford University. He initially
entered into the Air Force wanting to become a pilot. He soon transitioned to
the Navy, finishing first in his flight school class. After receiving orders to
transfer to a new base, Mike arrived there only to be told not to unpack
because he had been selected to become a NASA astronaut. While Mike never made
it into outer space, he participated in an Apollo program investigating long term
space travel, spending 34 days isolated in a chamber.
After NASA, Mike achieved his dream of becoming a
commercial airline pilot and was hired by Pan American World Airways. He
remained in the naval reserves and flew C-130s in Vietnam. He later retired
from the Navy, ascending to the rank of Commander.
After his wife gave birth to their youngest child,
Mike was furloughed by Pan Am while living in New Jersey. He and his wife had
discussed moving back down to North Carolina where they were both born and
raised. He applied to UNC law school and UNC dental school and was accepted
into both. He chose law school because of the faster track to completion. He
finished law school in two years and a summer session, passing the bar exam
even before finishing his final law school credits.
Mike focused on real estate law, wills and estate
planning. For friends he would delve into other areas of the law if they
requested his representation.
In the mid-1980s, Pan Am called Mike back to work.
He worked at his law practice from Monday through Friday and flew round trip
commercial flights from JFK to multiple European destinations, returning in
time on late Sunday or early Monday to resume work at his law practice. Mike
was retained as a pilot when Delta Airlines purchased Pan Am's European routes
and hubs. He continued the pilot-lawyer balance until he retired from Delta
around 2001, having accumulated over 40,000 hours of flight time.
He enjoyed family beach trips during the summers
at Pawleys Island, South Carolina. His children, nieces and nephews all enjoyed
his "door tricks." Wherever there was a sliding glass door on a
porch, that open space became Mike's stage to entertain his family and friends.
Mike Pipkin is survived by two sons, David Pipkin
(Adonna) of Hampstead, and Dr. Eben "Alex" Alexander, III (Karen
Newell) of Charlottesville VA; his grandchildren, Charlie McKinney of
Charlotte, Isabella Pipkin and Samantha Pipkin of Hampstead, Dr. Eben
Alexander, IV, of Fort Collins, Colorado and Carter Bond Alexander of Longmont,
Colorado.
He was preceded in death by his parents Robert
Glenn Pipkin, Sr. and Elizabeth Holler Pipkin, his brother Robert Glenn Pipkin,
Jr., his sisters, Anne Pipkin Willig, Nancy Pipkin Burkhart, his two daughters,
Elizabeth Lee (Betsy) Pipkin Michels, Kathryn Pipkin McKinney, and his wife of
65 years, Barbara Dearman Pipkin.
A viewing/reception will be held by the family at
Walker's Funeral Home located at 11680 US Highway 15-501 N in Chapel Hill,
North Carolina, on Friday February 21, 2025 beginning at 2:00 p.m. A service
honoring his life will begin at 2:45 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be made to
UNC-Chapel Hill MURAP (Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program)
Elizabeth Michels Memorial Fund (program code: 101462).
To plant trees in
memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
https://www.walkersfuneralservice.com/obituaries/barbara-pipkin
Barbara Dearman Pipkin
November 5, 1937 — November 25, 2021
Chapel Hill, North Carolina Barbara Dearman Pipkin
passed away peacefully on the evening of November 25, 2021, after an extended
illness at the Jim and Betsy Bryan Hospice Home, Pittsboro, NC. Barbara was
born in Stony Point, NC, in Alexander County, to Iva Lee and Vance Lee Dearman
on November 5, 1937. She grew up in Statesville, NC where she met the love of
her life, Richard Michael (Mike) Pipkin, on June 8, 1950, at a church baseball
field. They married in 1956 and remained together until her passing. Barbara
graduated from Statesville Senior High and attended Furman University in
Greenville, SC. Barbara raised and nurtured their children and supported her
husband as he served in the US Navy as a pilot during the Viet Nam War. Barbara
was voted President of the Navy Wife’s Club on one of the bases, even though
she was a younger member of that club…………………………