Longtime Parkersburg and Vienna resident, Ramona Irene (Sharp) Shipley, age 90, died peacefully on Valentine’s Day morning, February 14, 2019, in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Sons John, Thomas Alan and David were at her side. She was predeceased by her husband of 69 years, Tom (age 100), and brothers Ralph and Evan.
Ramona was born August 26, 1928, on the family farm in Slatyfork in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. She attended school in Slatyfork and at Marlinton High School before moving to Nitro, West Virginia with her family. She graduated from Poca High School and studied music in Richmond and at Morris Harvey College in Charleston. She met the love of her life, Tom Shipley, while both were singing in the choir at Christ Methodist Church. Tom and Ramona were married in 1948.
Sons John and Thomas Alan were born in Charleston. The family transferred to Vienna in 1956, where son David was born, then moved to Parkersburg in 1963. Ramona and Tom kept singing together in the First Methodist Church choir, where Ramona was a soprano soloist on Sundays and in the annual presentation of Handel’s The Messiah. She supported her sons as den mother for Cub Scout Pack 5 and the community through the Junior League. She was particularly proud to lead the ‘art to school’ program. Ramona acted in many plays at the Actors Guild, entertaining with both her dramatic and musical roles.
Her sons grew, and Ramona earned her teaching certification at Marietta College, followed by many years teaching music in the Marietta, OH schools. As the years went by, she cared for her father and mother, then retired with her husband on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Ramona Shipley’s life may be best defined by her support and encouragement of her family and friends. She has been an inspiring presence as a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. With her ready smile and warm heart, she has been known to everyone as ready to listen, ready to help and ready to offer enthusiastic support. She filled our lives with music and kindness.
She will be dearly missed by her extended family: John’s wife, Cindy; David’s wife, Jeri, grandsons Jeremy and Christopher; Christopher’s wife, Jenny; great-grandchildren Connor and Emma; and many nieces, nephews and their families.
A memorial service will be at Gary L. Kaufman Funeral Home in Elkridge, MD at 2PM Saturday, March 2nd. Visitation will begin at 1PM. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to The Slatyfork United Church c/o Tom Shipley, 35101 Seneca Trail, Slatyfork, WV 26291 or to your local arts and music organizations.
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