By Max Nickel
Editor’s Note: This is the first article in our Living History series. In this series we hope to share some of the experiences and memories of Monroe Counties older residents. It is one thing to learn about history in a text book and another to have lived through it. We hope you’ll enjoy reading about our history through the stories of people who where there. If you or a family member would like to be featured in a future Living History article, please email me at Jasmine@primepointventures.net.
Shipman Family: from left to right, Tripp, Holli, Ronnie, Katelyn, and Ronald Shipman.
Ronald Marvin Shipman Sr. was born on May 1st, 1945 in Hendersonville, NC, to Gardner and Virginia Shipman, 4 years after his older sister Doris Carr.
He lived in Hendersonville for 5 years before moving to Unadilla, Florida in 1950, and then to Omega, Georgia 2 years later, where he remained till he was 18.
He met his best friend Randall Willis in 2nd grade, who he remembers playing ball games and traveling with. The two remained best friends until 2022, when Willis passed away.
Shipman attended Omega High, where his favorite subject was Math. He also attended Omega Baptist Church, where he was voted “Most Religious.”
His favorite childhood memory was playing with his many friends in his small town, and he recalls being able to go to the movies, get a coke, and popcorn for just 25 cents. For reference, 25 cents back in 1963 has the same buying power as $2.60 today according to the inflation caluculator on bls.gov. Shipman reports that back then, he frequently had jobs around town that paid between 35 cents an hour to a dollar a day.
After he graduated from high school, Shipman moved back to Florida, where he built and ran golf courses.
Over his 80 years, Mr. Shipman also served in the army, coached, and worked as a recreation director.
He joined the army on December 2nd, 1965 and was stationed in Arlington, Virginia, where he was located during the 1967 March on the Pentagon.
He was later moved to Asmara, Eritrea, where he served as security for Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopa.
Mr. Shipman was honorably discharged on December 1st, 1969 in Fort Devins, Massachusetts.
Shipman distinctly recalls the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy and the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1970, Shipman purchased his first car, a Dodge Charger RT Model, for $3700. He arrived in Forsyth, Georgia in 1972 where he met his wife Jo Al Phillips at Flowers by Helen that next year. They married in November of 1974, and had their son Ronnie Shipman in November of 1975. The couple enjoyed doing anything they could in Forsyth, and always considered it home upon their 1972 arrival.
Fun fact- his 2nd cousins, Billy and Benny McCrary, hold the title of “Largest Twins in the World” in the Guinness Book of Records, both weighing in at 750 pounds each.
Ronald Shipman with grand-dogs: Georgia, Bella, and Maggie.
