We should thank The Reverend Robert Banse, Betsy Crenshaw and Trinity Church for organizing this memorial service. This shows how Trinity Church reaches out to the community. The large outpouring of sympathy for Tippy's family is a great tribute.

We are here today to remember Barbara Tippy Payne, who was always full of life and enthusiasm. Tippy was a wonderful ambassador of foxhunting and our life here in general. We all know she loved foxhunting.

Albert Poe, huntsman for Piedmont Foxhounds for many years, encouraged Tippy to hunt with Piedmont Foxhounds. Tippy started hunting her horse, Gusty around 1965. Mrs. A.C. Randolph, Master of Piedmont Foxhounds asked Tippy to be the field secretary for Piedmont in the 70's when Gusty, Tippy's horse was 25. Like many of us, Gusty never got old. Tippy kept shaving years off of Gusty's age. Mrs. Randolph finally said to Tippy, "No More!! Take Gusty home!! Don't bring him out again". Her next horse was Tommy Haunt Fox but her favorite was Lady Hawk that she started hunting in 1985 and hunted her until the beginning of 2008 season. Many years before Albert Poe's brother wanted Albert to put Lady Hawk down because he was afraid Lady Hawk would hurt someone, but Albert gave Lady Hawk to Tippy instead and Tippy hunted Lady Hawk for another 23 seasons. Tippy hunted more than 40 years with Piedmont. Often Tippy would hack her horses for miles to hunt with Piedmont.

When I became Master of Piedmont I was told Tippy had her buttons but not her colors. When I awarded Tippy her colors she became very emotional. You would have thought I had given her a million dollars. The Piedmont colors certainly meant more to Tippy than any amount of money.

Tippy was always smiling at the meets rain or shine, sleet or snow, always happy to be there. Tippy was so thrilled to be hunting.

My favorite memory of Tippy was a cold December day hunting from Oakley owned by Shelby Bonnie, grandson of Mrs. Randolph and currently Master of Piedmont with Tad Zimmerman and Walter Kansteiner. I spied 5 guests who came late. The hounds were running when Tippy caught up with the guests and she handed them folded up releases and a pen as the guests were galloping along. At the end of the day, Tippy came bouncing up to me on Lady Hawk with a great big smile. Tippy said we jumped 36 stone walls today. Tippy worked at the Upperville Horse Show for a number of years. Tommy Lee Jones, huntsman for Casanova, said Tippy had been working at the Show many years before he became manager of The Upperville Horse Show in 1982.

In 2004 Tippy won the Piedmont Foxhound Invitational Hack Class for the silver fox class. You would have thought she won an Olympic gold medal. The crowd cheered for their favorite and Tippy beamed.

Tippy loved her son, Ty, her husband, Gene Payne, her family, her brothers Rick and Bob, her niece, Maria who came from The Netherlands and rode with Tippy in the summer, her cousin, Brenda, her friends, her horses, especially Lady Hawk, the Upperville Show, and Piedmont Foxhounds.

Tippy was a friend to all and beloved by many of us. Tippy lived her life to the fullest always with a great enthusiasm. Tippy touched all our lives.

We should learn a lesson from Tippy -
live simply
love generously
care deeply
speak kindly
and smile a lot!

Postscript: Dr. Calvin Rofe told me at the reception that Gusty, Tippy's first hunter was closer to 35 years old than 25 years old when Mrs. Randolph made Tippy stop hunting him.