Gunnery Sergeant Thomas George Shippey, Retired U.S. Marine Corps

Funeral services for Gunnery Sergeant Thomas George Shippey, 77, United States Marine Corps, retired, of Holly Lake Ranch, will be 6:00 p.m., Monday, April 8, 2013 at Croley Funeral Home Chapel in Hawkins with Reverend Verlon Feller, Dee Gill, Larry Pack and Tom Ehrenfried officiating. Visitation will follow immediately after the service in the chapel. Interment will be 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 9, 2013 in the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas with full military honors. Mr. Shippey passed away on April 4, 2013 at Hospice of East Texas, Tyler. Tom was born in Grand Prairie, Texas on October 28, 1935, the only child of George and Janie Shippey. Tom was originally from Tyler, Texas and was a member of the Tyler High School graduating class of 1954. After graduation, Tom attended Tyler Junior College before joining the F.B.I in Washington, D.C. Tom left the FBI and joined the United States Marine Corps in 1959, serving two tours of duty in Vietnam and retiring from the United States Marine Corps after twenty six years of service. After retirement, Tom moved to Holly Lake Ranch where he enjoyed playing golf, Texas Hold-Em, and traveling with Jan, his wife of fifty years. While at Holly Lake, Tom was a charter member of the Holly Lake Ranch Kiwanis Club where he served as president for three terms and was selected as Lieutenant Governor for District 34, serving one year. Tom also served on the board of directors of the Hawkins/Holly Lake Veterans Memorial, and was a member of the Holly Lake Republican Club; Holly Lake Men"s Golf Association, East Texas Seniors" Golf Association and was also a member of the Tyler Historic Society. Tom is survived in death by his wife, Jan; son, Tim and wife, Bridget of Dallas, Texas; son Bryan and wife, Sara of Austin, Texas; and granddaughters, Faith and Ellen Shippey of Austin, Texas and grandson Drew of Dallas, Texas. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, George and Janie Shippey as well as beloved cousin, Dorothy "Dot" Hood. Family request that memorials gifts in Tom"s honor be made to Holly Lake Kiwanis Club for scholarships, Hospice of East Texas or the Hawkins/Holly Lake Veterans Memorial in place of flowers.