Hettie Shipman-Sutton-English

Hettie Irene Shipman passed to eternal life on February 10, 2021 in Quitman, Texas at the age of 104 after a brief illness. Irene was born on November 20th, 1916 to Sam and Lou Shipman in Vera, Texas Irene is survived by her only child Nelda K. Sutton-Walker of Mineola, Tx and her husband Michael. Two granddaughters- Dawn Marie Abernathy of San Jose, California and her two daughters Raegan and Kennedy. Granddaughter Megan Ann Roan and husband Ethan, their children Lawson, William and Rowdy of Mineola, Tx. Her sister Sammye Lou Chapman of Seymour. Many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Preceding her is death is her husband Raymond Cecil Sutton, her parents Sam and Lou Shipman and brother’s Darwin, Truman and Paul Denzel and 2nd husband Roscoe English. Irene married the love of her life and her high school sweetheart in Vera, Texas on December 22, 1935 to Sept 30, 1961 until his death. In 1937 the first year of their marriage Irene and Ray farmed one mile West of Vera, 1938 They moved to Wichita Valley Farms until Ray took a bookkeeping class and moved to Dallas in search of a job. While Ray worked at a gas station, Irene worked in a department store until Ray found a bookkeeping job at Monarch Laundry. Afterthe war which took them to Yuma, AZ and working at other dry cleaners they built their own dry cleaners named Melody Cleaners in 1948. Irene took pride in her display window where she would hang a freshly cleaned suit or dress in the center and surround it by colorful decorations. The shadow box illuminated from the street all night. Her theme went with the name of the cleaners. “Keep your clothes in Tune”. In January of 1955 after being married 19 years they had their only child Nelda Kay which was a big surprise to all. After Ray passed away in 1961, Irene’s brother Truman and family moved to Yuma to help her run the business until 1964 when she sold the cleaners and moved back to Seymour for two years where she lived near her family and then to Wichita Falls with Nelda until 1973. In 1987 she married Roscoe English the best friend of her brother Darwin until he passed 23 years later. Irene enjoyed her time with her granddaughters and loved being around the great grand chi ldren. Graveside services will be held at the Vera, Tx cemetery on Feb. 27, 2021 at 12 pm In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Vera Cemetery.