Gloria Ann (Watson) Shipley, 82, of Olney and formerly of Big Pine Key, Fla., passed away peacefully at her son's home on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, surrounded by her family.  Cremation rites were accorded.  A celebration of life will be held at First Baptist Church in Olney with Reverend Brett Best officiating.

Ann was born to Hugh and Sally Watson on April 11, 1930, in Paducah, Ky. Her family moved to Olney in 1942 when her father was transferred here by the International Shoe Company.

She graduated from Olney Township High School in 1948. Ann married George E. Shipley of Olney on July 3, 1947. Always having a home full of children, she was a homemaker and stay-at-home mom.  She maintained homes in both Olney and the suburbs of Washington, D.C., when her husband, George, served in the U.S. House of Representatives. At his retirement in 1978, they moved to Big Pine Key, Fla., and she often joked about having become a fisherman’s wife. She spent many hours with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom she loved very much.

Ann was active in the Richland Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, American Legion Women’s Auxiliary and OCC Orchid Club. She was a very active member of First Baptist Church in Olney where the family have been lifelong members. She will be remembered by many in Olney as she loved yard sales and everyone in town seemed to know her. She was always helping a family in need at Christmas and provided Easter baskets and bunnies for the Head Start Program in Olney for several years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George E. Shipley; a son, Charles (Chuckie) Jesse Shipley; and a daughter, Shawn Marie Dwyer, all of Olney; her parents, Hugh and Sally Watson; sisters, Virginia Welker, of Olney, and Charlene Stabler, of Boca Raton, Fla., formerly of Paris, Ill.

She is survived by her daughters, Cindy Lewis and Mimi Fehrenbacher and husband, Darrell; and by her sons, George E. (Buddy) Shipley Jr., of Evansville, Ind., and Robb Edward Allen Shipley, of Olney; one brother, Donald Hugh Watson and wife, Joann, of Olney; 15 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Published in Olney Daily Mail (IL) ~ May 16, 2012