Carol Sue (Decocq) Tippen, age 77, of Howell, Michigan and Mannheim, Germany, passed away peacefully on her birthday, May 26, 2026, surrounded by family in Howell. Daughter of Olan Leroy Decocq and Ma

Carol Sue (Decocq) Tippen, age 77, of Howell, Michigan and Mannheim, Germany, passed away peacefully on her birthday, May 26, 2026, surrounded by family in Howell. Daughter of Olan Leroy Decocq and Mary Rozella Decocq, Carol was born May 26,1949 in Wheaton, Missouri. The family moved to Michigan in1954. She graduated from Kimball High School, Royal Oak, Michigan, in 1967. Carol was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her brother, Paul L. Decocq (and his wife Amy Lamoreaux), of Howell, Michigan, her sister, Janet K. Decocq, of Joplin, Missouri, and nieces and nephews Eric and Tara Fleming, Nick Webb, Emily Turner, Alex Webb, Hannah Way, Charles Decator and Briella, Bailey and Blake Weersing . Carol’s family wish to express their love and gratitude to her “surrogate daughters,” Lara and Nele Sternkopf, of Mannheim, who lovingly accompanied Carol home to Michigan.Carol served in the United States Army for 22 years, from 1982 until 2004, primarily as a Military Police officer. During her military service, Carol served first in South Korea and then in Germany for many years, during which time she was also deployed to Bosnia and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After retiring from the Army, she was in the civil employment of the military for 10 years, serving in various capacities in the area of Anti-terrorism Force Protection.Whenever greeted with the traditional “Thank you for your service,” Carol invariably replied simply “It was my privilege.” She never viewed her military service as performing or fulfilling an obligation; she just truly thought of it as having been given a gift.The family will receive friends on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 11:00 am at the White Funeral Home, Cassville, Missouri, followed by the burial ceremony at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Butterfield, Missouri.Memorial contributions may be made to the American Legion Devereaux Post 141, 3265 W Grand River Ave., Howell, MI 48855.Memories and online condolences can be shared with the family at www.WatkinsFuneralHomes.com