(From Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home)Patricia Ann “Patti” Shipman, 70, of Aurora, Missouri, passed away on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.
Patti was born December 23, 1955, in Miami, Oklahoma, to Wheeler Loren and Leola Edmonson. Patti had her own way of approaching life, be kind, look on the bright side, and above all, have some fun. She was funny, warm, endlessly social, and almost always in a good mood. She brought an unmistakable energy wherever she went. But don’t let all that cheerfulness fool you—Patti was remarkably tough, too.
Patti attended Glendale High School in Springfield, where she was a cheerleader, and later began a career as a commodities broker. It was at work that a handsome former Marine named James Shipman walked into her office and into her life. To nearly everyone else he may have been Jim, but to Patti he was almost exclusively “Shipman” or “Ship.” And to Shipman, she was always “my bride.” Even years into their marriage, if someone called the house asking for Patti, he would simply ask, “Would you like to speak to my bride?”
Patti and Shipman married in 1987 and built a life together in Aurora, where summers brought a full house as their blended family of five came together.
Being a mother was one of Patti’s greatest joys, and she had a way of making motherhood look effortless. She never missed a volleyball game or track meet and was always the mom with the best snacks, happily shuttling her daughter and her friends wherever they needed to go.
Patti loved having people around her, and her home was often where everyone gathered. From legendary Super Bowl parties to summers by the pool and treasured Fourth of July traditions, Patti could usually be found in her spot behind the bar on the screened-in porch, surrounded by family and doing exactly what she called it: “holding court.”
Patti was a longtime member and deacon of First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, a community that shaped much of her family’s life and brought her many treasured friendships. She spent years volunteering with the church’s LOGOS youth program, both preparing and coordinating its weekly dinners.
Patti had no shortage of friends. From “Three Girls Three” and the “Lunch Bunch” to church friends, golf friends, neighbors and countless others, her circle was wide and everyone was welcome.
Sports were a constant in Patti’s life. Her father raised her to love the St. Louis Cardinals, while her father-in-law introduced her to another lifelong passion: golf. She also loved the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys and, later in life, took up pickleball.
Patti adored dogs and had a soft spot for animals in need. While playing at Honey Creek Golf Course, a skinny, abandoned dog wandered up to her; Patti took her home and named her Par, after the score she made on the hole where they met. Par was her beloved companion for nearly 20 years.
Patti’s optimism was all the more remarkable considering the losses she endured. She lost her mother and older sister, Karen, to cancer while still in high school, and later lost Shipman in 2018 and her daughter Kimberly in 2020—yet through it all, she remained remarkably resilient and continued to choose joy.
Later in life, Patti reconnected with Steve Wageman, whom she had known since high school. They shared a love of sports and many happy hours together on the screened-in porch. Steve was a loving and devoted partner to Patti in her final years.
Above all, Patti loved her family and was immensely proud of her children and grandchildren. She especially treasured being “Nana.”
Patti is survived by her daughter Kristin Gray and her husband, Daniel, of Fort Worth, Texas; her son James “Jimmy” Shipman III and his wife, Christiane, of Austin, Texas; her daughter Sara Kendrick and her husband, Brian, of Charlotte, North Carolina; and her daughter Kathryn Shipman of Charlotte, North Carolina. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Davis, Sullivan, Blakely, Samuel, Reagan and James; her brother, Gary Edmonson and his wife, Sandy, of Tacoma, Washington; her loving companion, Steve Wageman; her beloved dog, Yadi; and an extraordinary circle of extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Shipman; her daughter, Kimberly Waldron; her parents, Wheeler Loren and Leola Edmonson; her older sister, Karen (Edmonson) Quaif; and her beloved Par.
Patti made life more fun for those around her. She showed up, gathered people together, found reasons to celebrate and rarely passed up an opportunity to have a good time.
For those who loved her, there is comfort in knowing that Patti is reunited in heaven with Shipman, Kimberly, and Par—surely with plenty of stories to tell and, in true Patti fashion, already holding court.
A memorial service celebrating Patti’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the First Presbyterian Church of Aurora, with a Celebration of Life reception to follow. Arrangements are under the direction of Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, Missouri. Arrangements are under the direction of Crafton-Cantrell Funeral Home in Aurora, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Patti’s honor to the Aurora Dawg Pound.
