Tillie Shipley

TILLIE SHIPLEY, age 96, left this earthly realm, lifted to Heaven by Holy Angels, to see Jesus face to face, on Sunday May 21, 2017, at 6PM. Services will be held at 11:00 am Friday, May 26, 2017, at the Steele United Methodist Church, Steele, with Pastor Bob Schoepp officiating. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Thursday, May 25, at the Eastgate-Steele Memorial Chapel, Steele, ND, where a prayer service will begin at 6:00 pm. Graveside services will be at 10:00 am Tuesday, May 30, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Mathilda L. (Pfeifer) Shipley, youngest daughter of Philip Pfeifer, Sr. and Christina (Heyne) Pfeifer, was born November 22, 1920, in a sod house near Temvik, ND, Emmons County. Tillie graduated from Temvik High School in 1939 as Valedictorian. She attended Dickinson State Teachers College, receiving her Teaching Certificate. She taught at the same country school that she attended as a child. During WW II, while two of her brothers served across seas, Tillie was employed as a bookkeeper at the Bank of Hazelton, staying with her 3rd brother who was a blacksmith. Tillie was an avid writer, keeping diaries all her life. Her sister Bertha gave her a New Testament which she carried with her throughout school years. She was a woman of faith from the beginning. Years later she gave that worn-out testament to Bertha’s daughter. She trapped with her older brothers. Tillie trapped 200 gophers and took the tails to the Bank to receive a penny a tail, $2.00 worth. Thus, her brothers nicknamed her “Snappy Tail Poot.” October 1946 Tillie met Charles Shipley, Steele, ND, WW II Army veteran, who had recently returned and was working as a signalman on the railroad. On May 31, 1947, Tillie and Charles were married. Tillie worked beside Charles on their farm north of Steele. Next week marks their 70th wedding anniversary. She milked countless cows, fed baby calves, carried hundreds of pails of grain, and planted productive, huge gardens. Tillie even wanted to learn how to run a chainsaw to trim up the shelterbelt. Tillie gave from her heart. One never left her house or yard without receiving some gift. She fed and gave food and helped every stranger who came to the farm door, including the UPS person and the man whose car broke down on his way to his wedding. She canned produce and meat, and made delicious doughnuts. The aroma of bread, cookies, and pies or roast baking, was breathtaking. She had the ability to make something out of nothing, to use home remedies, to sew patches on shirts and jeans, to stitch quilts for missions with United Methodist Women and to be the most caring, kind friend. Tillie loved others more than herself. Tillie was innovative, creative, hardworking, adventurous, kind, humble and honest. Her well used Bibles are a testament to hours of reading and studying the treasures of the God’s Word. She had a gift of giving and prayer, and faith that could move mountains. She prayed for her family and many, many others daily. She prayed for the “Peace of Jerusalem”. Tillie is survived by husband, Charles; her four children, Linda (Wes) Vettel, Kathy (Lenny) Schlabach, John (Laura) Shipley, Mark (Jackie) Shipley; 13 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. Tillie was preceded in death by her parents; seven siblings, Emma Weber, Bertha Kist, Art Pfeifer, Pauline Jackson, Philip Pfeifer, John Pfeifer and Reinhold Pfeifer; and by two grandchildren, Tasha Marie Vettel and Lisa Renee Shipley.