Paul Edward Tibbetts

Paul Edward (Pat) Tibbetts, 59, August 17, 1947 - December 18, 2006, a graduate of Carl Hayden High School and Northern Arizona University, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity, died December 18 at his home in New Mexico.
A native of Jerome, AZ, Tibbetts served in the U.S. Navy during the Viet Nam War as a cryptology communicator and retired as a reserve lieutenant in 1987. He also served on the San Diego County Sheriff's Office from 1973 to 1987 when he retired as a sergeant. While a deputy sheriff, Tibbetts founded the department's honor guard and served on the underwater search and recovery team and the hostage negotiations team. He was twice honored for saving lives. In 1980 he co-chaired the first Cop'er Bowl, a charity football game between his department and San Diego Police Department.
Following his retirement, he moved to Flagstaff, AZ where he worked as a welfare fraud investigator for the State of Arizona in the northern counties and in off duty time, he enjoyed his boat on Lake Powell. Tibbetts is survived by his mother, Mary Lou of Peoria, wife Mary, daughter, Tricia Darby of Georgia, son Paul Edward II of Oregon, and three grandchildren. Services will be held Thursday December 28 at 2:30 p.m. at Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery 2300 W. Van Buren Street in Phoenix. Tibbetts' son Paul, a U.S. Park Service Law Enforcement Ranger, will serve as honor guard for his father. A private family memorial at Lake Powell is pending.