Shelburne Falls, MA – Dorothy M. (Deware) Shippee, age 98, of Shelburne Falls, died peacefully on November 15, 2025. She was born December 13,1926, daughter of Robert and Mary (Brown) Deware.
She was a graduate of Arms Academy class of 1944, where she played basketball and trumpet in the school band. The band is where she met her husband, Gerald A. Shippee, who played trombone. After his service in WWII, they were married on August 9, 1947 in Flint, Michigan, the day after he graduated from the General Motors Institute. Dorothy was predeceased by her husband in 1985.
Along with raising nine children, she also did the bookwork for Gerald’s service station and school bus company. Family was always her priority. Dorothy instilled faith, a strong work ethic and compassion in her children. Treating others with kindness and the importance of family were always at the fore. She knew how to have a good laugh, often reminiscing over old stories and enjoyed all that went along with having a big family. She served pancakes to all the neighborhood kids who fished the Elm Street Bray Brook on opening day. Dorothy directed and enjoyed many lakeside and oceanfront summer vacations, traveling in the family station wagon and weekend gatherings with in-laws and cousins. She had enough stories to fill a book!
She and Gerald later summered in Scituate, MA, where she moved, after his passing in 1985.
Dorothy also had a passion for history and was active in the Buckland and Scituate Historical Societies. She found joy in researching family genealogy and prepared genealogy books for her nine children and twenty-eight grandchildren. Quilting was a favorite hobby and she created quilts for many family members. Other hobbies included playing the piano, jigsaw puzzles, reading, needlepoint and singing in the church choir. She enjoyed traveling with the Old Deerfield Historical Society and did so worldwide. As a volunteer, she made meals for the Pine Street Inn in Boston, MA.
Dorothy had fond childhood memories of visiting relatives in Gilmanton, NH where she could ride in a horse drawn sleigh. She took tap dance classes and could still tap out “East Side West Side” well into her 90’s!
She is survived by her nine children; Christie Shea (Jack), David (Lorraine), Ellen (Janice/deceased), Patrick (Carol), Timothy (Patricia), Matthew (Rhonda), Mary Wissman (David), Daniel (Patricia) and Catherine McDonald (Aaron), as well as her 28 grandchildren; Kate, Greg, Heather, Emily, Max, Melanie, Sam, April, Josh, Luc, Gabe, Jess, Ben, Gail, Adam, Rebekah, Erin, Justin, Zachary, Elias, Hannah, Audrey, Lydia, Nathan, Sydney, Maia, Owen, Lilly and her 56 great grandchildren, sister-in-law Marilyn (Shippee) Brozo and many nieces and nephews.
Dorothy was predeceased by her brother, Robert Deware, sister Betty (Deware) McClary and 9 in-laws.
A graveside service will be held Sunday, Nov. 23 at 11:30 am in Arms Cemetery, Shelburne Falls.
There are no calling hours.
Visit Legacy.com Page