Church: Neillsville - St. Mary’s Catholic (Educator - 1980)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Shipman, Beck

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/26/1980

Neillsville-St. Mary’s Catholic (Educator - 1980)

Beginning duties recently as education director for St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville is Father George Shipman. Fr. Shipman replaces Dr. Guy Beck, who recently moved to a Black River Falls parish.

The new education coordinator is a latecomer to religious life, having worked as an electrical engineer and served in the military prior to ordination at 36 years of age.

Shipman was born in early 1920 in Pittsburgh, Penn. He attended schools in Allegheny County and served with the U.S. Navy as a Seabee during World War II. After his medical discharge in 1944, he worked for the government at a coal hydrogenation plant in Bruceton, Penn., while attending night school and earning a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

In September 1949, Shipman entered studies for the priesthood at St. Vincent’s of Latrobe, Penn. He studied philosophy and theology for two years at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, Md., and then for two years at St. John Vianney Seminary, Bloomingdale, Oh. He was ordained on May 28, 1960, after completing a degree in education.

Fr. Shipman was first assigned as an administrator for three mission churches in Long Bottom, Guysville and Tuppers Plains, Oh. After four years there, he was named associate pastor for Ironton, Marietta and Woodsfield parish’s. From 1973 to 1974, he served as a chaplain for the Marian Center in Detroit, Mich., and then spent two years as custodian for the international pilgrimage for the statue of Our Lady Fatima; and then spent two years traveling extensively in the U.S. giving talks on the Fatima message.

Prior to coming to Neillsville, Fr. Shipman served as associate pastor at several parish’s in Santa Clara, Napa and Santa Rosa Counties in California.

Fr. Shipman will be assisted by Fr. Joseph Henseler, pastor of St. Mary’s.