Michael Shipley

Our beloved dad, Michael Ervin Shipley was born on The Quapaw Indian Reservation in Miami, Oklahoma on September 6, 1940.  Michael was raised with his siblings in Oklahoma, Missouri and Southern California.  He was an Eagle Scout and paper boy.  In Manhattan Beach, California, he met and married his high school sweetheart, Mary Elizabeth Hall-Shipley and their three girls were born. In his late twenties, he served as a Civil Engineer during the Vietnam conflict and survived a life altering injury. Michael, "Mike", chose his profession as Computer Systems Engineer, programming and rebuilding mainframe computers for the likes of Martin Marietta, El Paso Natural Gas Company, Mid-South Utility Company, Raytheon and KLM Airline. 

Michael is preceded in death by his wife Mary Elizabeth Hall Shipley, Parents Sylvan Simpson Shipley, Doris Elnora Boultinghouse Shipley, and Sister Carol Dee Hicks

He is Survived by his children, Jennifer Elizabeth Shipley - Vitagliano (Ric), Christine Elizabeth Brewer (Kevin), and Deborah Elizabeth Schumacher, brother Marshall Sylvan Shipley. Grandchildren Michael Shipley (Amber), Elizabeth Stratton, James Vitagliano (Jessica), Taylor DeMartini, (Scott), Bennett Carni, Madison Schumacher, Jourdan Schumacher Great Grandchildren Michael Shipley III Jaxon Macarthur, Eleanora DeMartini.

The family lived in Southern California, Washington DC, Ohio, Colorado, Texas and Louisiana.  Once their girls were grown, Mike and Beth lived for over a decade in the United Arab Emirates and Amsterdam, Holland.  They traveled extensively through Italy, Spain, Holland, and Germany.  Mike was an avid World traveler, story-teller, proud member of the Quapaw Nation, passionate about roses and a Master of "Tinkering".  He was mechanically inclined and had a love for fast and interesting cars.  Mike served as an Umpire/Referee for football and softball games in his younger years.  He and Beth absorbed travel and culture with gusto.  He was cantankerous and soft hearted. They returned to their family home in the early 2000's and Beth continued her nursing practice until her passing in November of 2017. Mike and Beth successfully raised their three beautiful daughters. They loved their grandchildren and great grandchildren, family and friends. Michael will be missed by his daughters and family.