Joseph Jackson Thigpen, 89, died 5/28/06 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer≠s disease. Services will be held 11:00 am, Wed., May 31, 2006 at First Baptist Church, Ruston. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 30, 2006, from 5PM until 7PM at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Ruston. Dr. Thigpen, retired Dean of the College of Engineering atContinue Reading
Joseph Jackson Thigpen, 89, died 5/28/06 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer≠s disease. Services will be held 11:00 am, Wed., May 31, 2006 at First Baptist Church, Ruston. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 30, 2006, from 5PM until 7PM at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Ruston. Dr. Thigpen, retired Dean of the College of Engineering at Louisiana Tech, was a life-long resident of Ruston. He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Ruth Thigpen; parents, Andrew Jackson and Myrtle Goyne Thigpen of Ruston; and siblings: Brian Thigpen and Floy Thigpen, of Shreveport, LA; Antoinette Hogan, James Thigpen, and Arthur Thigpen of Ruston. Dr. Thigpen is survived by son Jack Thigpen, Jr. and wife Ann, and daughter, Sally Thigpen all of Ruston; grandchildren, Phillip Thigpen of Ruston, Lisa Lawton and husband Billy of Fisher, IN, Sarah Freeman of Ruston, Sheena Thigpen of Choudrant, and Leigh Ann Pierce of Mangham; and great-grandchildren, Grace and Luke Lawton of Fishers, IN. Dr. Thigpen was a college educator and administrator who loved Louisiana Tech. He received his B.S. in engineering from Tech in 1936, a second B.S. in engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1941, a M.S. in mechanical engineering in 1951, and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 1959, both graduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. He served as Chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering 1953 1968, Associate Dean and Director of Engineering Research 1968 1976 and Dean of the College of Engineering from 1976 until his retirement in 1982. He was a member of five professional engineering societies and four honor societies. He served a term as president of the Tech Chapter of the Louisiana Teacher≠s Association and was a member of the Athletic Council for several years. Upon his retirement, Dr. Thigpen was awarded the Tower Medallion. In 1994, he was named one of the top 100 graduates of Tech. During WW II he served in the Engineering Aviation Battalion for 27 months in Australia and New Zealand. He taught military history at USMA for three years following his overseas tour of duty, as well as two additional years during the Korean War. He served in the Army Reserves until his retirement at the rank of Colonel. Known for his service to both Louisiana Tech and Ruston, he was a City Councilman for one term, a member of the Kiwanis Club including serving as president, active in many capacities at First Baptist Church including the chairman of the building committee, chairman of the board of deacons, superintendent of Christian education, chairman of the long range planning committee, and a member of two pastor search committees, and a Boy Scout Leader. He received the Silver Beaver for service to the Boy Scouts. Dr. Thigpen loved sports. He played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track during his high school and college years. As a student at West Point he played Lacrosse. Although he knew nothing about the sport until he started playing, he became captain of his team and was named to the All-American Lacrosse team. For many years he jogged and was a well-known figure at the Louisiana Tech track. He was on a bowling team and played tennis for many years. He helped with numerous track meets at Tech. In 1995 he was inducted into the Louisiana Tech Sports Hall of Fame. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the ¨Dr. Jack Thigpen Fund — Louisiana Tech Engineering Foundation, c/o University Foundations P.O. Box 3183 T.S. Ruston, La. 71272 or the Alzheimer≠s Association. The family wishes to extend thanks to his sitters Mearlean Jackson, Ruthie Albritton, Joan Moore, Effie Lofton, and James Cage and to the staff at the Russ House.
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