December 2021

Page A14 DECEMBER 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A ©adfinity ® Contact us today to learn more. (888) 889-8508 • travelplan@shipinman.com ShipInman.com Discover the... Want to earn extra income and offer families peace of mind? by K N A U E R I N D U S T R I E S From Celebrating Life to “You Bet Your Life” thereafter, Dick and Kristin were being flown to NBC Stu- dios, where Dick made an appearance on the Tonight Show, being introduced as the “Most Interesting Man in Texas.” Kristin recalls how Dick and Leno hit it off. “Jay is such a nice, truly down-to-earth guy. He’s really special, and Jay and Dick bonded over a shared passion for collecting cars.” They hit it off so well that when the Tips were involved in a charitable fundraiser a few years later, they reached out to Leno to see if he could provide any support. Leno came out to San Antonio and provided stand-up enter- tainment for the gala, in addition to signing a Harley Da- vidson that was subsequently auctioned off. Thanks to Leno’s involvement in San Antonio charities, the Tips were able to raise over $1 million for the community. Leno was in the market for interesting people with in- teresting backgrounds to appear on a reboot of the classic quiz shoe, You Bet Your Life. Hosted by Groucho Marx, the show ran on radio and TV from 1947 to 1961. As Leno recently described it to Variety magazine, “it’s a com- edy show with a kind of tenuous connection to a game.” With her background in funeral service, Leno thought that Kristin would fit the bill. Kristin gets animated re- calling the filming. “It was such a fun experience and we had some great laughs, and then it was over in the blink of an eye. All the lights and sounds during the filming are just like you see them on TV, it really happens that way.” For the show, Kristin was partnered up with a profes- sional Santa Claus, and they were tasked with working together to answer questions. Each question has a dol- lar amount attached to it, and contestants share the prize money (which can reach up to $5,000). Long before lights, camera, action, Kristin had estab- lished herself as a leader in the funeral services profession. “My father was a realtor and a broker, so I got my real estate license in high school, and I still use it to this day,” Kristin shares. “In college, I was focusing on a business degree and a law degree, but then after my father’s funeral, I had a special draw and connection to the funeral profession, and so af- ter I received a degree in Business Administration I changed paths and pursued my degree in Mortuary Science.” A former Miss San Antonio, Miss Texas Galaxy, and Miss Galaxy International, Kristin met Dick while he was reigning as Rey Feo. They were married about three years later and welcomed twins a few years after that. Dick pur- chased the family business, Mission Park, in the late 80’s and the Tips began their life serving their community. SAN ANTONIO,TX— To say that Kristin Tips, Presi- dent of Mission Park Funeral Chapels, Cemeteries & Crematories, is memorable is an understatement. This month millions of Americans will get to see Kristin in ac- tion when she appears on “You Bet Your Life.” Hosted by Jay Leno and Kevin Eubanks. The Fox TV game show epi- sode will air on over 200 stations across the country dur- ing the upcoming holiday season. Kristin and her husband Dick Tips first appeared on Jay Leno’s radar in 2005, while Dick was serving as Rey Feo LVII or better known as the People’s King. This monarch comes from a medieval tradition in which the people of the town would elect one of their own as king for a day. Founded by Rey Feo XXXII Logan Stewart in 1982, the Rey Feo Consejo Educational Foundation names a new Rey Feo to take over the reins as the foundation ambassador and participate in the annual San Antonio fiesta. The funds raised through the foundation go to support high school seniors and college students through scholarships and tuitions. It was while Dick was enjoying his reign as Rey Feo that he captured the attention of a Tonight Show producer. Shortly Today, Mission Park is in its second century and includes 14 funeral chapels, nine cem- eteries, several crematories, a state-of-the-art cremation chapel, all new Life Centers, and a 37-room hotel that they make available to be- reaved families they serve. The Tips are committed to finding innovative ways to continue to serve their community. This innova- tion was on full display in April 2020, when Mission Park made the front page of the Wall Street Journal for hosting the nation’s first outdoor funeral theater. From winning pageants to making friends with Jay Leno to game show appear- ances to demonstrating in- novation in the funeral ser- vices industry - we can’t wait to see what Kristin does next! For more information on Mission Park Funeral Cha- pels, Cemeteries & Crema- tories, go to their website at www.MissionParks.com. By Laurie Esposito Hartley Send Us Your News! We welcome news of the industry. info@NomisPublications.com PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 CALL 1-800-321-7479 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Scan QR for our website 1-888-792-9315 • mymortuarycooler.com Mortuary Coolers starting at $4,499