Paul Shipman

Paul Manuel Shipman, 95, of Elizabethtown, passed away on Saturday, December 1, 2018. He was preceded in death by his parents: Paul and Mamie Shipman; wife: Lois Hammond Shipman; five brothers: Marshall, Frank, Marvin, Alvin and Gene Shipman; three sisters: Estie Shelton, Alma Hovis, Evie Maybin and one grandchild: Kevin Carpenter. Paul is survived by four daughters: Gloria Strickland (Larry) of Pelzer, SC, Betty Barrow of Greenville, SC, Janice Shipman of Goldsboro, NC, Paulette Erwin (Walter) of Willow Spring, NC; one sister: Ginny Pace of Tuxedo, NC; nine grandchildren: Eugene Strickland (Glenda), Ronnie Strickland (Belinda), Doug Strickland (Melissa), Tanya Jeffcoat, Rene Moore, Janet Greene-Woodard (Lorenzo), Joey Greene (Frances), Denise Pearce (Tony), Jeremy Carpenter (Katie); fourteen great-grandchildren: Katora Howard, Misty King, Brandon Strickland, Jessie Strickland, Savannah Strickland, Brian Foster, Luke Foster, Paul Pearce, Bryant Pearce, Grace Carpenter, Zachary Carpenter, Samantha Carpenter, McCoy Carpenter, Andrea McCurdy-Corbin (Tim), and five great, great-grandchildren: Tristin Simpson, Enoch Strickland, Charles McCurdy (Robin), Steven McCurdy (Meaghan) and Kaleb Ward.

Paul was the 10th of 11 children born to the late Paul and Mamie Shipman in High Sholes, NC. Paul met the love of his life, Lois Othella Hammond at Mountain Valley Baptist Church and within three months were married before a magistrate on April 12, 1941. In 1954, Paul finished Fruitland Baptist Bible College and continued his learning and education daily. About two weeks after graduating, Paul was called to pastor and was ordained at Liberty Baptist Church. After pastoring many churches, he decided that he could not pastor full time and work for a living. Paul was then called by the North Carolina State Parks to work for them. He worked for the State Parks for 11 years as a carpenter in the maintenance department. He later retired in 1985.

The family will receive friends from 6-8pm on Tuesday, December 4th at Bladen-Gaskins Funeral Home in Elizabethtown. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 5th at 2pm at Colly Chapel Church in Harrells with Rev. Jim Woodruff officiating service. Burial will follow in church cemetery.