Larry D. Shippy
Encyclopedia
Larry Deleo Shippy was a Republican
member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
, having served in Laramie County
District 8, including part of Cheyenne
, from 1993–1996. Shippy was known for his efforts to expand the privatizing of government services. He also headed the Indian Committee during the centennial of the popular Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo
from 1994–1996.
Shippy was born to Orris D. and Ruby M. Shippy in Burke
, the seat of rural Gregory County
, in southern South Dakota
. He obtained a bachelor's degree
in education degree from Grace University
(then Grace College of the Bible
) in Omaha, Nebraska
. Grace University is nondenominational but of Mennonite
heritage. Shippy moved to Cheyenne in 1969. He was a real estate
agent for Grubb & Ellis, having previously owned and operated Burke Moving and Storage for twenty years.
At the time of his death, Shippy was the treasurer of the Cheyenne Board of Realtors and the federal coordinator for the Wyoming Association of Realtors as liaison to the office of Republican U.S. Senator Michael "Mike" Enzi
. Over the years, he was affiliated with Youth for Christ
, the Chamber of Commerce
, Cheyenne LEADS, Rotary International
, and the Wyoming Truckers Association.
His obituary
describes Shippy as having been "passionate about history and politics and enjoyed cooking, golf
ing, snowmobiling, and pheasant
hunting in his spare time." He was also known for his sense of humor and as a practical joker.
Kim Andereck, a colleague of Shippy's at Grubb & Ellis, described the retired lawmaker in an interview with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle
as:
Former State Representative John Hanes, who served with Shippy in the legislature in the 1990s, recalled Shippy as a person who was passionate about privatizing functions that government had usually performed but which could be handled by the private sector at cost savings. Shippy's sense of humor, Hanes said, often broke the ice during tense legislative deliberations.
Hanes was later elected to the Wyoming State Senate from District 5, which includes much of Cheyenne and some rural areas of Laramie County. Hanes was term-limited in 2006, and Shippy ran unsuccessfully for the right to succeed him. In the campaign, Shippy attributed Wyoming's housing shortage to a lack of reasonably priced land that can be annexed and developed for low-cost housing, something he claimed that lawmakers can address with legislation. He spent less than $2,000 in the race. The Republican nomination and the general election
victory went to Robert Fecht.
Shippy died in a Cheyenne hospice
. He was survived by his wife of nearly ten years, Kelly J. Shippy; their daughter, Madison Shippy; his daughter from a previous marriage, Tonya Semmler of Littleton, Colorado
; his parents, from Winner, South Dakota
; his siblings, Kyle Shippy and Shirley Shelbourn, both of Colome, South Dakota
, and Wayne Shippy, Beverly Traver, and Keith Shippy, all of Tempe, Arizona
, and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Lonnie Shippy.
Services were held on June 13, 2007, at Frontier Park. Cremation
was at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens.
Shippy was the fourth former Cheyenne lawmaker to have died within two months. Republican Joseph D. Selby
and Democrat
Edwin H. Whitehead
, both of Cheyenne, died on April 20 and May 20, respectively. Former Republican Representative Robert Schliske
, who served from 1971–1975, died on June 21. Republican U.S. Senator Craig Thomas of Casper
died on June 4. And in September, former Republican state legislator Dean T. Prosser
, a leader in environmental legislation from 1971–1983, died in Rhode Island
, where he had retired.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
Wyoming House of Representatives
The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming...
, having served in Laramie County
Laramie County, Wyoming
Laramie County is the most populous of the 23 counties of the U.S. state of Wyoming. The county is located in the southeastern corner of the state. The county's population was 91,738 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Cheyenne, the state capital...
District 8, including part of Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
, from 1993–1996. Shippy was known for his efforts to expand the privatizing of government services. He also headed the Indian Committee during the centennial of the popular Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
from 1994–1996.
Shippy was born to Orris D. and Ruby M. Shippy in Burke
Burke, South Dakota
Burke is a city in Gregory County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 604 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Gregory County.-Geography:Burke is located at ....
, the seat of rural Gregory County
Gregory County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,792 people, 2,022 households, and 1,290 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were 2,405 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
, in southern South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. He obtained a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in education degree from Grace University
Grace University
Grace University is a private Bible college located in Omaha, Nebraska. The university includes three separate colleges: Grace College of the Bible, Grace College of Graduate Studies, and Grace College of Continuing Education.-History:...
(then Grace College of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
) in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. Grace University is nondenominational but of Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
heritage. Shippy moved to Cheyenne in 1969. He was a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
agent for Grubb & Ellis, having previously owned and operated Burke Moving and Storage for twenty years.
At the time of his death, Shippy was the treasurer of the Cheyenne Board of Realtors and the federal coordinator for the Wyoming Association of Realtors as liaison to the office of Republican U.S. Senator Michael "Mike" Enzi
Mike Enzi
Michael Bradley "Mike" Enzi is the senior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party.Raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Enzi attended George Washington University and the University of Denver. He expanded his father's shoe store business in Gillette before being elected mayor of...
. Over the years, he was affiliated with Youth for Christ
Youth for Christ
Youth for Christ is the name of a number of previously unaffiliated evangelical Protestant religious campaigns which led to the creation of Youth for Christ International in 1946....
, the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, Cheyenne LEADS, Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
, and the Wyoming Truckers Association.
His obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
describes Shippy as having been "passionate about history and politics and enjoyed cooking, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
ing, snowmobiling, and pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
hunting in his spare time." He was also known for his sense of humor and as a practical joker.
Kim Andereck, a colleague of Shippy's at Grubb & Ellis, described the retired lawmaker in an interview with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
The Wyoming Tribune Eagle is a daily newspaper published in Cheyenne and distributed primarily in Laramie County, Wyoming. It is the state's second largest newspaper in terms of circulation, behind the Casper Star Tribune. The Tribune Eagle is also one of several newspapers serving the Front Range...
as:
- just a sweet, godly man. He had a real passion for people. He just loved being in service to friends, clients and organizations within the community. ... I always found it interesting someone who had studied in the seminarySeminaryA seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
would end up as a commercial real-estate broker. He had a love of the Lord and a passion for people, and I think it was a pretty good combination.
Former State Representative John Hanes, who served with Shippy in the legislature in the 1990s, recalled Shippy as a person who was passionate about privatizing functions that government had usually performed but which could be handled by the private sector at cost savings. Shippy's sense of humor, Hanes said, often broke the ice during tense legislative deliberations.
Hanes was later elected to the Wyoming State Senate from District 5, which includes much of Cheyenne and some rural areas of Laramie County. Hanes was term-limited in 2006, and Shippy ran unsuccessfully for the right to succeed him. In the campaign, Shippy attributed Wyoming's housing shortage to a lack of reasonably priced land that can be annexed and developed for low-cost housing, something he claimed that lawmakers can address with legislation. He spent less than $2,000 in the race. The Republican nomination and the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
victory went to Robert Fecht.
Shippy died in a Cheyenne hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
. He was survived by his wife of nearly ten years, Kelly J. Shippy; their daughter, Madison Shippy; his daughter from a previous marriage, Tonya Semmler of Littleton, Colorado
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
; his parents, from Winner, South Dakota
Winner, South Dakota
Winner is a city in Tripp County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,897 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Tripp County. Winner also serves as the administrative center of neighboring Todd County, which does not have its own county seat. The nearest airport is Winner...
; his siblings, Kyle Shippy and Shirley Shelbourn, both of Colome, South Dakota
Colome, South Dakota
Colome is a city in Tripp County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 296 as of the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
, and Wayne Shippy, Beverly Traver, and Keith Shippy, all of Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
, and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Lonnie Shippy.
Services were held on June 13, 2007, at Frontier Park. Cremation
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
was at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens.
Shippy was the fourth former Cheyenne lawmaker to have died within two months. Republican Joseph D. Selby
Joseph D. Selby
Joseph David Selby was a Cheyenne lawyer who served as municipal judge from 1978–1982 and as a Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from District 41 in Laramie County from 1995-1997....
and Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Edwin H. Whitehead
Edwin H. Whitehead
Edwin H. "Ed" Whitehead was a lawyer in Cheyenne, a former Democratic member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, and an early supporter of John F...
, both of Cheyenne, died on April 20 and May 20, respectively. Former Republican Representative Robert Schliske
Robert Schliske
Robert Paul Edward Schliske, I , was a founder of Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne and a former Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives. He served in the House from 1971-1975 during the administration of Republican Governor Stanley K...
, who served from 1971–1975, died on June 21. Republican U.S. Senator Craig Thomas of Casper
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...
died on June 4. And in September, former Republican state legislator Dean T. Prosser
Dean T. Prosser
Dean T. Prosser, Jr. , was a Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1971–1983, who authored major environmental legislation to preserve the Wyoming landscape. Prosser was also the executive secretary and then the executive vice-president of the influential Wyoming...
, a leader in environmental legislation from 1971–1983, died in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, where he had retired.