Lucille C. (Preziosi) Shipman, age 87, of 4 Oakridge Drive, Gales Ferry, died Saturday at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a brief illness.
Mrs. Shipman was born in Queens, NY in 1915 the daughter of Lawrence and Angelina Preziosi. Raised in Queens, she graduated from Richmond Hill High School. Prior to her marriage, she was employed by Macy’s in Manhattan for six years.
Lucille married William D. Shipman on October 17, 1942 and together they first moved to this area in 1951.
She served as a Justice of the Peace in Gales Ferry for many years and was a Cub Scout Den Mother for many years and was a former first president of Custom marine Sales in Old Saybrook. She was also a communicant of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Active in civic affairs, she was a volunteer election day pole worker both in Ledyard and Gales Ferry, and was a member of democratic committees at the local state, and national levels. She had also served as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society.
In 1971, along with her husband and two sons, she helped form SHIPCO Associates of Groton where she worked until the day before her hospitalization on February 15th. She will be fondly remembered for her quick wit, sense of humor ,and pride of her italian heritage. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Shipman leaves her two sons, William L. Shipman of Groton and Thomas Shipman of Ledyard; two sisters, Grace Marino of Westwood, NJ and Evelyn Miller of Cinnamonson, NJ; her grandchildren, William Shipman of San Diego, Deanna Shipman of Carlstadt, NJ. and her great-grandchildren, Junior and William Shipman of San Diego.
The family will greet relatives and friends at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, historic downtown Mystic on Wednesday from 5-7pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Rte. 12, Gales Ferry, on Thursday at 10am. Fr. Joseph DeCosta, Pastor, will officiate. Burial will follow at Avery-Stoddard Cemetery, Ledyard.
Donations in her memory may be made to the American Heart Assoc., 5 Brookside Dr., Wallingford, CT 06492-1822.