Sharon Shipley

Sharon L. Shipley was born May 24, 1939, to Fred Merle and Agnes M. Hammick in Fort Smith, Ark.
Sharon was a force of nature who cared deeply about her family and her community, living a life of service to others. She was active in business, philanthropy, the arts and politics as well as being a devoted wife, mother, “Nanny” and “Grand Nan” to her family.
She graduated from Fort Smith High School and began dating Earl while in college at the University of Arkansas. They married in July of 1958 and had Kerry in August of 1959 followed by Carl in September of 1960.
In addition to raising her family, Sharon always maintained a busy civic and business career. As a teenager she modeled while she and her parents lived in Omaha, Neb., and was first runner-up in the Miss Fort Smith Pageant.
As a young mother she sold encyclopedias and worked in a flower shop before eventually opening her own floral design business. She started Halcyon Design, a Fort Smith furniture and design store and was involved in the ownership and operation of Shipley Motor Equipment, a Fort Smith-based Mack Truck dealership.
Sharon was also actively involved in politics. She served as Arkansas state co-coordinator and then coordinator of Ronald Reagan’s presidential election committees, was a delegate to the Republican National Convention and attended President Reagan’s inaugurations.
She ran for mayor of Fort Smith and was later appointed by President Reagan to serve as a commissioner on the Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission as well as serving on the small business action committee of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce.
Sharon loved to fish and spend time outdoors at her home in Spring Mountain near Greenwood, Ark.  She and Earl also traveled extensively, visiting Europe and the former Soviet Union during their journeys.  
She loved art, both collecting beautiful pieces and creating with her grandchildren at her home studio. She was famous in her family for her colorful hand-painted holiday cards.
When Earl retired he and Sharon relocated full-time to Destin, Fla., and lived there until on a trip out West they visited South Dakota and fell in love with the area. They moved again to a beautifully-remodeled log cabin in Custer, S.D., where they entertained family and friends with drives on the Needles Highway through Custer State Park and visits to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial. They also wintered at their home in Oro Valley, Ariz.
Sharon and Earl were involved in the Custer community, helping provide startup funding for The Storehouse, a Custer area charity which serves as a foodbank and distributes donated household items in the area.
Sharon cared for Earl after he developed ALS until his passing in 2012 and remained a resident of Custer, S.D., until the fall of 2021, when she returned to northwest Arkansas to be near loved ones.
She passed away peacefully at her home in northwest Arkansas Dec. 9, 2022, a bright, sunny day, surrounded by friends, family and beautiful music. She was 83.
A celebration of Sharon’s life will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 27 at Compton Gardens, 312 N. Main St., in Bentonville, Ark.