Ralph Shipley

RALPH E. SHIPLEY, 90 ROCKFORD - Ralph E. Shipley, 90, of Rockford died at 10:10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 31, 2010, at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center. Born Feb. 23, 1920, in Chicago, the son of Dr. Manly H. and Frances Margaret "Peggy" (King) Shipley. Married Lillian Felici on Oct. 1, 1942, at St. James Church in Rockford. Graduated from Rockford High School in 1938, completed the Rockford Business (Brown's) College course and attended the University of Illinois at Champaign. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1941, as a private, was selected for Officer Candidate School, was a trainer for desert maneuvers and served a tour of duty in the India-Burma theater. In March 1946 he was honorably discharged with the rank of captain. He attended Rockford College in the summer of 1946 and the University of Illinois that fall. He graduated cum laude from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in June 1948. He received a juris doctor degree from Northwestern Law School in June 1950. Ralph held several positions with Rockford area businesses before becoming involved in real estate. He founded Northwest Realtors and served as president of the Rockford Board of Realtors (RAAR) in 1978-79. After retiring from real estate, Ralph joined the City of Rockford Law Department handling business development and established their land acquisition position. In retirement he acted as a real estate consultant for several government entities. Since 1974, he assisted in his wife's distributorship of GNLD (Golden Neo-Life Diamite) products. In his early years he was an accomplished violinist and played with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. An avid reader, other interests and activities included PTA president, cub and boy scout leader, scout neighborhood commissioner, camping, traveling and chess. Survived by wife, Lillian; sons, Todd A. (Charisse) Shipley of Anchorage, Alaska and Scott T. Shipley of Fairfax, Va.; daughter, Pamela A. Shipley of San Jose, Calif.; grandchildren, Leon Shipley of Tustin, Calif., Krissann Shipley of Costa Mesa, Calif., Dean Shipley of Lake Forest, Calif., Kerry Shipley of Arlington, Va., Nicholas Shipley of Washington, D.C., Harmony Shipley of Viera, Fla., and Myan Shipley of Fairfax; great-grandson, James J. (Miriam Montesinos) Shipley of Wheeling; great-great-granddaughter, Sofya Shipley, who was born on the day Ralph died; brother, Dr. Richard E. (Chickie) Shipley of Hillsborough, Calif.; cousin, Mary Anne (Richard) Christman of Columbus, Ohio; and numerous other cousins, nieces and nephews. Service at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, at Julian-Poorman-Welte Funeral Home, with visitation from 6:30 p.m. to time of service; Father David Beauvais will officiate. Burial at a later date in Scandinavian Cemetery. Memorials may be made in care of the family for a memorial to be established later. For directions and online maps, visit weltefuneral.com.