Obituary of Kay Shipley

Kathleen Joy “Kay” (Best) Shipley passed away on Thursday, November 26th, 2020 at Hallmark Healthcare of Carlinville. We are quite sure it was an amazing Thanksgiving Homecoming in heaven on that day as she joined family and friends that have gone before her. Kay was born to William Glen and Clara Esther (Bivin) Best on her grandparent’s (Alva and Myrtle Bivin) farm in rural Palmyra on September 2nd, 1930. Kay graduated from Palmyra High School in 1948. She married Harold Alson “Shorty” Shipley on September 5th, 1948 at Blooming Grove Church in Rural Palmyra. Together they had three children, Kathryn Marie “Kathy” Whitehead, David Harold Shipley and Aaron Jay Shipley. Kay loved Jesus, her family, tole painting and fishing at Otter Lake. Kay was an active member of Blooming Grove Christian Church for most of her life. Among various jobs, Kay worked for Montgomery Ward, the Prairie Glove Company, Jubelt’s Bakery and Sunshine Manor Nursing Home in Carlinville. She volunteered many summers as head cook for MacGomery Christian Service Camp in Rural Carlinville. Kay was preceded in death by her husband and parents, her daughter Kathy and son-in-law Gary Whitehead and her brother and sister-in-law Billy and Martha Best and her brother-in-law Loren Qualls. She is survived by her sister, Geraldine Qualls, her brother Mick (Cathern) Best both of rural Palmyra, sons David (partner Dav Murray) Shipley of Springfield, IL and Aaron (Johnnette) Shipley of Carlinville. Also surviving are her grandchildren, Joe (Lori Wells) Whitehead, Angie Whitehead- (John) Kern, Jim Whitehead (all from the Peoria area), Austin Shipley and Will (Emily Smith) Shipley of Carlinville and Sandra (Shawne) Copeland of Gillespie as well as five great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Public graveside services will be conducted on Monday, November 30, 2020 at 10:30 am at Oak Hill Cemetery, Palmyra, IL with Rev. Scott Bayles officiating. Memorials may be made to MacGomery Camp, rural Carlinville. Davis-Anderson Funeral Home, Carlinville is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.davisandersonfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest book or light a candle in Kay's memory.