Jane Gafvert Shipp, courageous and uncomplaining, passed away this past August after a five year long battle with cancer. A wonderful friend, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and career woman, Jane will be missed by all whose lives she touched. Jane, in the words of an old song, is “riding on ahead,” and takes with her a little piece of each of us, but leaves us pieces of herself in our memories, and thus lives on. How appropriate are the words of the poet Diane Warren, When I think back on these times And the dreams we left behind I’ll be glad cause I was blessed to get To have you in my life When I look back on these days I’ll look and see your face You were right there for me And I always will remember all The strength you gave to me Your love made me make it through Oh, I owe so much to you You were right there for me In my dreams I’ll always see your soul above the sky In my heart, there always be a place for you for all my life I’ll keep a part of you with me And everywhere I am, there you’ll be Jane Gafvert Shipp was the 1961 Tiger Homecoming Queen. I see her now, forever lovely, forever young.
James Tomlin (1961)