Obituary of Paul C. Shipton

Paul C. Shipton, 75, of Faywood Ave., Cortland, N.Y., passed away on Thursday, May 2, 2013 after battling pulmonary fibrosis for nearly a decade. A lifelong area resident, Paul was born on January 26, 1938 to the late Geoffrey and Margaret McBirney Shipton. He graduated from Greene, N.Y. High School and faithfully served in the U.S. Army, receiving an honorable discharged as sergeant. He retired in 2000 after a 33-year career at Monarch Machine Tool, Inc., where he was the electrical foreman. He had been employed by GE and IBM, as well. An avid outdoorsman, he guided and hunted with members of the Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources each year for nearly 30 years, and travelled as far as Alaska and Nova Scotia to hunt big game. He enjoyed teaching others how to hunt, about gun safety, and to respect and appreciate the outdoors as much as he did. He belonged to the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, and Pheasants Forever. He also researched his familys genealogy and was knowledgeable about World War II history. Paul is survived by two daughters, Ingrid Shipton of Washington, D.C., and Sheila Shipton of Cortland; two sisters, Olive Shipton Marlin of Baldwinsville, N.Y., and Della Shipton of Lafayette, N.Y.; his close companion of nearly 20 years, Wanita Baldwin of Homer, N.Y.; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife of 24 years, Gerda Weiss Shipton; as well as three sisters and five brothers. His family will receive friends and family on Thursday, May 9, from 4 pm to 5:45 pm, and hold a memorial service at 6 pm at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home at 9 Lincoln Ave., Cortland. In keeping with his wishes, his ashes will be spread during a private ceremony at his familys farm. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be directed to the Lime Hollow Center for Environment and Culture, 338 McLean Road, Cortland, N.Y. 13045 (www.limehollow.org), or the National Wild Turkey Federation Jakes Scholarship Fund, 770 Augusta Road, Edgefield, S.C. 29824 (www.nwt.org/jakes/scholarship.html).