GENERATION # 6 - SUSAN MICHELLE BLANKENSHIP TIPTON

LIFE IS A MEASURE TO BE FILLED, NOT A CUP TO BE DRAINED.

I WAS BORN MARCH 28, 1967 IN BRISTOL, TENNESSEE. I GRADUATED FROM COEBURN HIGH SCHOOL IN 1985. IN 1986, I MARRIED MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND, BILL TIPTON. WE HAVE THREE CHILDREN, CLINT, KELLI AND WESLEY. I HAD A WONDERFUL CHILDHOOD INFLUENCED BY MANY STRONG WOMEN, INCLUDING MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, MARTHA GILBERT, GRANDMOTHER FLORA POWERS AND MY MOTHER, BETTY STURGILL.

MARTHA MULLINS WAS A WONDERFUL, KIND PERSON WHO ALWAYS MANAGED TO FIND THE BEST IN EVERY SITUATION. I NEVER REMEMBER HER BEING CROSS TO ANYONE, BUT SHE DID EXPECT YOU TO MIND YOURSELF. SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN, HOW TO MAKE A 9-PATCH QUILT SQUARE, AND HOW TO SCARE THE CHICKENS OUT OF HER GARDEN. I NEVER GOT TIRED OF HEARING HER FABULOUS STORIES. SHE NEVER GOT MAD AT ME WHEN I WOULD SNEAK HER FLASHLIGHT FROM HER PILLOW BECAUSE I WANTED TO PLAY WITH IT.

MY GRANDMOTHER, FLORA POWERS WAS A BEAUTIFUL LADY ALSO. HOWEVER, I DO REMEMBER THAT SHE COULD BECOME CROSS AND FUSS AT TIMES BUT IT WAS ALWAYS WITH A LOVING HEART. SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS BY WORKING IN HER GARDEN, PLANTING FLOWERS, OR PICKING APPLES OR BERRIES. SHE ALWAYS HAD CANDY FOR US KIDS AND SHE LOVED THE "POP-TART" SONG THAT MY BROTHERS AND I USED TO SING TO HER. SHE WAS A GOOD CHRISTIAN WOMEN WHO GREATLY INFLUENCED MY LIFE.

MY MOTHER, BETTY STURGILL WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL SHE ALWAYS READ TO ME, TOOK ME TO CHURCH, CARRIED ME TO BED (EVEN THOUGH SHE KNEW I WAS PRETENDING TO BE ASLEEP, BOUGHT ME A LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK AT THE STORE EVERY WEEK. SHE WAS MORE LIKE A FRIEND THAN A MOM. AS I GREW OLDER SHE ALWAYS ATTENDED WHATEVER ACTIVITY I WAS INVOLVED IN, SAT WITH ME IN THE HOSPITAL EVEN WHEN SHE WAS SICK HERSELF. WE HAD MANY GREAT "GIRL" TALKS. AFTER I GRADUADED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND MY PARENTS SEPARATED, SHE NEVER SPOKE A BAD WORD ABOUT MY FATHER, EVEN THOUGH AT TIMES I KNOW SHE DID NOT FEEL THAT WAY IN HER HEART. I LEARNED FROM HER HOW TO BE A MOTHER.

THE WOMEN BEFORE ME MADE ME THE PERSON I AM TODAY. I HOPE THE SAME INFLUENCE CARRIES ON WITH MY DAUGHTER. I WANT HER TO LEARN THAT YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IT MAY SEEM. WE TRULY ARE A REFLECTION OF THE WOMEN OF OUR PAST.

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SUSAN BLANKENSHIP - 1985	SUSAN - 1967
SUSAN AND BILL TIPTON - 1986 WEDDING PORTRAIT	SUSAN WITH HER 3 CHILDREN, CLINT, WESLEY AND KELLI
SUSAN, BILL, CLINT, KELLI AND WESLEY AT SUSANS COLLEGE GRADUATION