Lanita Joyce

Shipley

Lanita Joyce Shipley, 71, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, September 17, 2022, in Oklahoma City.  The daughter of Lester Darrel and Leona "Alice" (Testerman) Paige, Lanita was born on May 13, 1951, in Blanchard, Oklahoma.

Lanita graduated from Amber-Pocasset Schools and began working at Tinker Air Force Base as a secretary doing data entry.  She next worked for Mid Del Schools as the technology coordinator, where she retired after thirty years of dedicated service.  After retirement, she continued to work for five more years as an office manager for an architectural firm in Norman.

Lanita met the love of her life, Gary Don Shipley, on a blind date and they married just five months later on November 14, 1975.   Lanita loved traveling as long as it was not by plane.  She traveled all over the United States with Gary and some with her position with the school system.  Lanita loved music and enjoyed singing, which she did with her mother and siblings when she was younger and on the praise team many Sundays at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.  She also played the piano,  guitar and mandolin.  Lanita was an avid reader, enjoyed fishing when she could and was wonderful at cross-stitch, knitting and crotchet.  Lanita loved having the family together for holidays and game nights.  She was saved at a young age in the summer of 1963 while attending New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Bridge Creek.  She was an active member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, where she often would sit at the welcome center greeting members and guests.  Her sweet smile and kind heart will be missed by all her knew her.

Lanita is preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her loving husband of almost 47 years, Gary Don Shipley; children, Melinda Hatch and husband Christopher of Queen Creek, Arizona and Michael Shipley and wife Liz of Laverne; step-children, Mark Shipley of North Carolina and LaDawna Tucci of Oklahoma City; grandchildren, Kayla Chavez, Carter Hatch, Addyson, David, Ava, Emma, Isabella, Mateo, and Sophia Shipley, Tyler Lane and wife Jessica, and Tara Lane; one great granddaughter, Maelee Suttles; sister, Karen Jenkins and husband Terry of Amber; brother, David Paige of Blanchard; and several other nieces, nephews and other loving family members and friends.

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Blanchard, Oklahoma.  Interment will be in Blanchard Cemetery.  Arrangements are under the direction of Eisenhour Funeral Home of Blanchard.  Online obituary and guestbook are available at www.eisenhourfh.com.