Bess Paterson Shipe

SHIPE BESS LOUISE PATERSON SHIPE Passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones on November 13, 2015, in the home she shared with her daughter in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Bess was born January 27, 1919, to Alexander H. and Caroline E. Paterson in Baltimore, MD. In 1940, Bess graduated with a BA in English from the University of Maryland where she was a writer and editor for the Diamondback student newspaper, a member of Mortar Board, the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and was named Miss University of Maryland. There she met her future husband of 69years, John Kelso Shipe. They were married July 11, 1942 in Baltimore. Together they raised three daughters at their home in Potomac, MD where they lived for 50 years. She was the author of two books for young readers. "Country School Boy" is about the one-room school in Seneca, MD. "The Mysterious Tail of a Charleston Cat", which she co-authored with her sister "Booie" Chappell, provides a creative tour of Charleston, SC. She had recently completed her third book, a novel, "The Forces of Bay House," set on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Bess was an active member of Potomac United Methodist Church. She was a faithful and gracious woman whose kindness was matched by her strength and selfless deeds of love. Bess was predeceased by her parents, beloved husband, sister Jean P. McBrayer; brothers-in-law Lt. Col. James McBrayer, Carl A.Harris and Walter H. Shipe. She is survived by her sisters Ann Harris of Easton, Md., Ruth Chappell of Charleston, SC; sister-in-law Vee Shipe; brother-in-law Chris Chappell; daughters Susan Shipe Calfee of Ponte Vedra, FL, Ann K. Cooper of Leesburg, VA, and Carolyn S. Ten Eyck of Gaithersburg, MD; sons-in-law Gregory A. Ten Eyck and Michael J. Cooper; as well as eight grandchildren, four great grandchildren, six nieces, and eight nephews. The family will receive friends at Joseph Gawler's Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, on Sunday, November 22, 2015 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Services will be held at Potomac United Methodist Church, 9908 S. Glen Road, Potomac, MD on Monday, November 23, 2015 at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. A reception will immediately follow the interment service in the church hall. Memorial contributions may be made to the Methodist Board of Child Care, www.boardofchildcare.org/donate