Senith Ann Couillard Tipton

Published 2:25 pm Thursday, April 18, 2024

May 31, 1940 – April 13, 2024

NATCHEZ – Senith Ann Couillard Tipton, 83, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, April 13, 2024.  Senith was born on May 31, 1940, in Natchez, to Rubye Holloway Couillard and Louis Emile Profilet Couillard.

Senith graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS in 1962, where she made many wonderful lifelong friends. She was in the Kappa Delta Sorority. She taught French and English at St. Joseph High School in Jackson and at the UMMC Nursing School. Later, while staying at home for some years to raise children, Cameron and Chandler, she enjoyed being part of local groups and clubs and the Junior League of Jackson, MS. She was a Co-Editor of Southern Sideboards Cookbook during her time in the Junior League. She returned to school at Mississippi College where she completed law school and obtained her J.D. in 1980. Senith practiced law from 1980 to 2015.

Senith began and spent the majority of her professional law career with McCoy Wilkins Attorneys and its successor firms with which she became a partner. She retired from and was a founding shareholder of the firm, HAT LAW, Hagwood and Tipton. She primarily handled the defense of medical professional malpractice claims, hospital and nursing home negligence claims, and related insurance coverage matters. Senith is a past president of the Mississippi Defense Lawyers’ Association and was its first female president. She was honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. She served as Chair of the Litigation and General Practice Committee of the Mississippi Bar Association and as a Fellow and a Trustee of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. She served on the Board of Directors of the Defense Research Institute. Senith was a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, the Professional Liability Defense Association, and the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society.

Outside of work, Senith enjoyed the family lake house at Lake St. John in Louisiana, traveled in the United States and abroad, all things Natchez, reading, and loved to plan menus and prepare meals for family gatherings.

Senith is survived by her husband of over 60 years, Ancel Tipton, Jr.; her daughter, Cameron Tipton (Darwin Miller); her son, Chandler Tipton (Julie), and grandchildren, Sophie, Simon, and Stella.

She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Lieut. James Profilet Couillard.

Relatives and friends are invited to the funeral service at St. Mary Basilica, 107 S. Union St., Natchez, MS 39120, on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 11 a.m. with visitation beginning at 10 a.m.

Burial will follow at Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Senith Couillard Tipton may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at https://act.alz.org/donate or to St. Mary’s Basilica in Natchez.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at lairdfh.com.