Shirley Shipp Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

On Friday, December 5, 2003, our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, Shirley Ann (Adams) Shipp, 66, of 3004 W. 4th Street, #22, Cedar Falls, IA. lost her battle with cancer, while staying at the home of her daughter, Lisa Bertch, at her side were her children, grand and great grandchildren as they have been all their lives. Shirley was diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma in September of 2003. Shirley was born in Iowa City, Iowa the daughter of John R. and Edna M. (Barker) Adams of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the youngest of two children. Shirley's parents divorced when she was a child and her mother then married David L. Antle. The family lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, until her mother and stepfather moved to Chicago and then Galesburg, Illinois. Shirley stayed in Cedar Rapids to finish her senior year at Wilson High School graduating in 1956 residing with the Freytag family. During this time she was an usher at the Paramount Theater. She married Arnold Leon "Jim" Shipp in Mississippi in December of 1956. They made their home in Solon and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before moving to Waterloo, Iowa, where she worked for Parkview Gardens Care Center. The couple had three children: Lori, Chris and Lisa before divorcing in 1973. She met Jerry Lorenz of Chilton, Wisconsin, and he has been her significant other ever since. Jerry has been devoted and caring to Shirley and her family. In the early 1980's, she moved with her family to Cedar Falls. Cedar Falls was home. She worked for the Cedar Falls Public School System at Lincoln School for 23 ? years before her retirement in May of 2003. Prior to retiring she had also been employed by St. Patrick Catholic Church where she continued to work part-time until her illness. She was a tireless and dedicated worker and gave 150%. Shirley devoted her life to her family and friends. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. If you ever needed anything, you could always count on her. She also enjoyed going to garage sales, reading, listening to country music, going to play bingo, watching Days of Our Lives and the summer outings and barbeques that she always seemed to get her family together for. Shirley is survived by her significant other, Jerry Lorenz of Chilton, WI; her children: daughter, Lori Shipp of Cedar Falls; son, Chris (Emily) Shipp of Waverly, IA; daughter, Lisa (Russ) Bertch also of Cedar Falls. Her grandchildren: Brett Gardner and fianc?e, Lacie Dietrick of Cedar Falls, Nicole Bertch and fianc?, Jason Schlarmann of Cedar Falls, Curtis and Alicia Bertch (at home with Lisa and Russ), Cody and Dylan Shipp (at home with Chris and Emily) and Shannon Beldon of Cedar Falls; great grandchildren, Kiana Marie Gardner (at home with Brett and Lacie), Isabella Schlarmann (at home with Nicole and Jason) and Madison and Spencer (Shannon Beldon's children); her brother, Robert (Cheryl) Adams of Galesburg, IL; her closest friends, Connie Thompson (Friends for over 40 years.) of Waterloo, IA., and Wilma Ehrhardt of Cedar Falls, and all those who new and loved her. She touched many lives. She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents. Memorials maybe directed to Union Planters Bank on the Parkade in Cedar Falls. (Shirley had many friends there.) The family of Shirley Shipp wishes to thank Cedar Valley Hospice, (especially Becky Corbin) and the tremendous outpouring of love and caring from all those who sent cards, gifts of food and stopped to see her with their support. We don't understand why it was her time to leave this earthly dwelling, only God has that answer, but we will miss her forever and always.