Glenda Shipman passed away at home in Springfield, Missouri on Thursday, May 7, 2015. She was born March 31, 1945 in Richmond, California. She had recently celebrated her 70th birthday. She passed away peacefully at home with her husband for 49 years, Keith Shipman, after a brief battle with cancer. She graduated from Central High School in 1963. She then entered Cox X-ray School and worked for Cox as an X-ray tech for 8 years until the birth of her sons, Lance and Travis. She then started the Lemondrop Uniform Shoppe in 1973. She ran the successful business and still found time to get her sons to their many sports practices and games. She later started and ran the World of Wallpaper—which went on to sponsor the WOW baseball team that allowed Travis and his friends to enjoy many fantastic seasons—including a junior national World Series Championship for 12 and under.
Glenda’s hard work allowed her sons to attend the University of Missouri and UCLA without any student loans. (Lance’s partial academic scholarship and Travis’s full ride for football helped, also.) After the kids left town, Glenda and Keith invested in a lake house at Tablerock. She loved to sit on the porch and watch the birds and raccoons eat the food that she provided. She loved to cook. She watched cooking shows and read cook books so she could feed any sized group that showed up to eat.
She was an avid reader. She could talk about any subject with surprising incite, and sometimes mild exaggeration. She enjoyed donating books and time to the local library.
After raising 2 sons—she finally was gifted 2 granddaughters—Gia and Lola. Glenda and Keith visited Overland Park, Kansas every month for several years to take care of the grandkids so Lance and Sharla could work their weekends at the same time. She loved to teach them cooking and crafts. As teenagers now, they are both great cooks and very artistic.
Her love of working in healthcare was instilled in her sons. Lance is a doctor and Travis is a paramedic and teaches Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
Keith and Glenda recently celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary. They have lived in the same house in Springfield since 1973. They were blessed with great neighbors and a super community.
Glenda is survived by her husband, Keith, and sons Lance and Travis. She has 2 granddaughters, Gia and Lola, from her son Lance and his wife Sharla. Passing before her were her parents Glen and Alpha Peeler and her sister Patsy Wallin.
Funeral services will be held at Greenlawn Funeral Home East on Monday May 11th. There will be a visitation at 10 am and services at 11 am. The address is 3540 E. Seminole in Springfield, Missouri 65809. Phone is 417-887-6565.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the local library. Please, make checks to Library Foundation or online at yourlibraryfoundation.org. The address is 4653 S. Campbell Ave. in Springfield, Missouri 65810. Please add that this is donation for Glenda Shipman. They will purchase books with a nameplate in honor of Glenda.