Joseph Quinn Thigpen, 77, passed away on February 5, 2022, at Vidant Duplin Hospital, Kenansville, NC.

The graveside funeral service will be held Thursday, February 10 at 2:00 p.m. at East Duplin Memorial Gardens, 2192 E. NC 24, Beulaville, NC.  Visitation to follow at the cemetery.

Joe was born in Duplin County on July 7, 1944, to the late Jesse Earl and Susan Iris Thigpen and was the youngest of three sons.

He attended Beulaville High School where he met the love of his life Hilda Gray Futral. They were married on June 12, 1965, and raised two daughters .

Joe graduated from Campbell University with a degree in Theology. He also attended Piedmont Aerospace Institute for Aviation and was a certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic. His love for flying started with learning to crop dust to pay his way through college and he continued to obtain flight ratings to become a corporate pilot and retired in 2014.

Joe was a talented classical pianist and studied at the Harris Conservatory of Music in Rocky Mount, NC.  His family and friends loved to hear him play.

He was so kind and humble, and everyone loved Joe.  He never knew a stranger and would always greet you with a smile and words to make you laugh.

Joe was preceded in death by his brother, Emory Hale Thigpen.

He is survived and will be loved forever by his wife, Hilda Futral Thigpen; daughter Joan Thigpen Sherron and husband Robert of Greenville, NC; daughter Jeannette Thigpen Hudson and husband Ken of Cape Carteret, NC; brother Malcolm Thigpen of Beulaville, NC; granddaughters Jena Stuhr and Eryn Trible; and six great grandchildren; Eden, John Earl, ArieAnna, Leon, Jude and Iris.

Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Thigpen Family