Dr. Ben R. Hipp

Dr. Ben R. Hipp, 79, of Batesville, Ark., passed away Friday, Aug. 1, 2014 at home. Dr Hipp was born April 21, 1935 in Batesville to Hollie M. and Marie F. Hipp. He was a graduate of Batesville High School, Ouachita Baptist University and the College of Dentistry of the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He also attended the graduate school of Georgetown University and was a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College. Dr Hipp completed residency training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Walter Reed Army Hospital and Tripler Army Medical Center. Dr. Hipp retired from active duty as a Colonel in the United States Army Dental Corps in 1985. At the time of his retirement, Dr. Hipp was Chief of the Department of Dentistry and Chief of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service for both the United States Army Dental Activity and Ireland Army Hospital at Fort Knox, Kentucky, positions he held for four and a half years. Prior to that assignment, Dr. Hipp was Commander of the United States Army Dental Activity at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center at Aurora, Colo. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, two awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, two awards of the Meritorious Unit Commendation and numerous service and campaign awards. In 1983, he was inducted into the Order of Military Medical Merit, an honorary Army Medical Department organization established to honor those individuals who have made a significant and exemplary contribution to the United States Army Medical Department through dedicated application of talent, effort and spirit. His military career began at Fort Knox in 1961 and included, in addition to those previously mentioned, assignments at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas; Republic of Vietnam; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington D.C.; Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii; Fort Dix, N.J. and Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Following his retirement from the United States Army, Dr. Hipp joined the University of Tennessee-Memphis College of Dentistry as a faculty member. He held the academic rank of Professor since 1992. In 1997, Dr. Hipp was appointed as Chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and remained at that position until his retirement in 2001. Dr. Hipp was a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and held staff appointments in a number of Memphis hospitals and served on the consulting staff of the Memphis Veterans Administration Hospital. Dr. Hipp is survived by his wife of 50 years, Marva Moore Hipp of Batesville; daughters, Melissa Potter and her husband Scott of Nashville, Tenn. and Melanie Daugherty and her husband Kenny of Clarksville, Tenn. Grandchildren are Ryan Potter, Shelby Potter, Carson Potter, Kailey Daugherty, and Jake Daugherty. He is also survived by brother, Joe Hipp and his wife Brenda of Little Rock; niece, Lisa Lambert and her daughters, Sydney and Allyson Lambert. The family would like to thank Jerrye Blevins, Linda Daniel, Brenda Fleetwood, Annie Manley, and Jimmie Milgrim for their care and support during his illness. He was preceded in death by his parents. A memorial service will be held at Central Avenue United Methodist Church on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 11 after which friends and family are invited back to the Hipp residence. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central Avenue United Methodist Church, 1205 North Central Avenue, Batesville, Ark. 72501. You may sign the online guestbook at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com.