William "Bill" Franklin Shipley

CAYCE—Funeral services for William "Bill" Franklin Shipley, Sr., 90, of Cayce will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 3, 2014, at First Baptist Church of West Columbia, 400 State Street, West Columbia, SC 29169. Reverend Jody Ratcliffe will officiate. Burial will follow in Southland Memorial Gardens with military honors. Pallbearers will be Trae and Marc Shipley, Michael Hawkins, Chris Wicker, Steve Summers, Sammy Neal, and Jeffrey Whitesides. Honorary pallbearers are Ex-prisoner of WAR and the Purple Heart Association. The family will greet friends from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at Thompson Funeral Home in West Columbia, 200 State Street, West Columbia, SC 29169. Mr. Shipley, beloved husband for 68 years to the late Lou Summer Shipley, passed away on Monday, June 30, 2014. Born in Skidmore, MO, he was a son of the late Elva Franklin Shipley and Mattie Mae Kelly Shipley. Bill has been an area resident since 1943 formerly of Burlington Junction, MO. He enlisted in the United States Army during WW II. After being discharged from the Army he enlisted in the Air Force Reserves and served during the Korean Conflict and later discharged from the United States Air Force as a Staff Sergeant. Bill operated a 2 1/2 ton truck while serving with the 106th Infantry Division in England, France, and Belgium. He hauled ammunition, road blocking and bridge equipment, personnel and supplies. He was captured in the Battle of the Bulge at St. Vith, France on December 21, 1944, and remained a Prisoner of War for five months and was liberated on May 13, 1945. Bill was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds received in action. He was owner and operator of Shipley's Homes, Inc. Surviving is his son, William Franklin "Franke" Shipley, Jr.,(Linda) of Gaston; daughter, Paula S. Hawkins (Carl) of Lexington; grandchildren, Trae and Marc Shipley, Lisa H. Wicker (Chris) and Michael Hawkins (Beth); great-grandchildren Caitlin, Liam, and Landon Shipley, Bradley, Austin, Cameron Grace and Davis Wicker and Wilson Hawkins; eight; sisters, Bonnie Kemp (Charlie) of Columbia, MO. Georgia Sheridan of Maryville, MO, Judy Nelson (Max) of Bethany, MO, Terry Glasgo of Branson, MO; brothers, Bert Shipley (Fonda) of Shenandoah, Iowa and Don Shipley (Wava) of Omaha, NE. He was preceded in death by two great- grandchildren, Alexis and Brayden Wicker; sisters, Marie Buckalew, Mae Forsythe and Lillian June Shipley; brother, Ivol Shipley. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of West Columbia, "Such as a Time as This", PO Box 4898, West Columbia, SC 29171.