Obituary of Phillip Terry Shipley

Phillip was born in Albion, Nebraska on September 10th 1931 to Paul and Leona Shipley. He had a younger brother, John Stanley Shipley, and they spent their youth in Norfolk, Boise, and Pasadena. Phil struck out on his own at the age of 18, marrying Joanie, and though that didn't work out, they had a beautiful daughter Shelley. Phil spent two years in the Army, mostly in Japan, then came home to Altadena and began to master his craft. He was a machinist by trade, and this suited him perfectly. His work took him through several small shops, in the LA area up to Lockheed in Santa Cruz, CA, and eventually to Plantronics, where he was the 6th employee and worked on all the communication equipment for the early NASA space program. A perfectionist to the Nth degree and highly skilled at all things mechanical, he earned every bit of his "Master Tool Maker" title. Before his move to Santa Cruz, he met Vivian Watanabe, whom he married in 1960. They had their son, Clark, in 1963. Unfortunately, Vivian lived with MS for 7 years, the last 6 bedridden in the hospital. Through it all, Phil raised his son on his own and visited Vivian once or twice daily until she passed in 1972. His brother tells stories of Phil always, not only wanting to fly, but believing that he could. Using umbrellas and jumping off hay lofts. It was this passion that drove him from award winning model airplane flying in the army to high performance glider flying in the 60's to a home built hang glider in 70's. He really could fly. Phil and Nancy met at Plantronics. Though it took years to cement the relationship, they were clearly destined to be together. Taking in Nancy's children, Nicholas, Kathleen and Alex, as they were his own, they were married in 1976 and have spent almost every waking hour together since. Living and working together. Preparing and living aboard two different sail boats, and always preferring smaller, tight quarters over sprawling homes. Nancy fixed his heart, first emotionally and then literally after a heart attack, where she changed his diet for life. Everyone could see, and most of all Nancy, that he loved her more than anything. Phil is survived by his wife Nancy, his children Shelley, Clark, Nicholas, Kathleen, and Alex, 7 grand children, 6 great grand children, and his brother John. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Twin Lakes Church "2020 Vision" program.