Forest Shipes

We called him,”Jr.” or “Po Henry.” And we loved him! Always will! He was born March 16, 1938, to Mary Louise (nee Ellis) and Pastor Forest Henry Shipes in Jackson, MS. He migrated with his parents and big, extended family to upstate New York where they could have a better life. He was a little prankster who excelled in school, showing brilliance in art. Later, the family moved to Berkeley, CA where he graduated near the top of his class. His school was integrated, and he got along with everyone. He was smart, creative, and received scholarship offers, but had other plans.

For a spell, he had his wild streak! He liked “running the streets,” as he put it. But, on the side, he used his talent to do portraits for private clients, interior design, landscape architecture, and to design stage props for Oakland’s annual Christmas festival. He joined the United States Air Force which created a life-long love of travel. One of his service mates and friends was actor, Sherman Hemsley. Both were short in stature and joked about how the Air Force allowed them in. Later, he married Ernestine Franklin, then Charlene Whitley. Eventually, he left the wilds of CA behind and relocated to Texas, beginning a career in landscape architecture. He was successful, created high-quality blueprints, and rolled up his sleeves and got down in the dirt to get his projects done. He’d even design and personally cut his friends’ yards for free. When his brother opened a trucking company in Houston and needed help, he got a trucking license just to help him succeed. In years to come, sadly, both would meet dementia.

Henry was a pitmaster and a marvel at dominoes. No one could beat him! But his ultimate pride and love were his daughters. He used his wildness in youth to teach them what “not” to do. He was a strict disciplinarian and kept them in church. He raised beautiful daughters who have good, Christian values. He bragged about them…their successful marriages, their beautiful children, all of their friends, and the joy they achieved in life. He instilled in them a passion for travel, and both are world travelers. He took his girls from one end of this country to the next…The Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Forest, multiple times to Disneyland, Big Sur, Crater Lake in Oregon, and even Mexico (for years!). Of their many trips, they felt the most important ones were right here in this country where they drove from CA to NY and stopped many places in between. Sometimes they’d do the northern route, sometimes southern. This was where their veteran dad taught them what the American flag stood for…the importance of respecting all Americans. They shared those memories as if they were yesterday. But their favorite time spent was at his bedside as his health declined. He looked forward to visits from his grandchildren in CA and his great-grandson, Savon. His girls and son-in-law, Robert Richardson, advocated for him, making sure his needs were met. They were there to the end. Robert and Retta were by his side the moment God called him home.

Preceding him in death are two wives, Earnestine (Franklin), Charlene (Whitley), his brother (Charles) and sister (Anna Mary Mouchette), and son-in-law (Michael). Those left to mourn are his daughters, Henrietta (and Robert)  Richardson (TX) and D’Avian Grauel (CA). His grandchildren: Nedra Millet, Sydnei Richardson, Alexandra Grauel and Alexander Grauel. His great-grandchildren, Savon Mack and Ashawntis Simeon. And there are a host of cousins from New York to AZ to California who were his prayer team. His loss is deep. He is the last of his generation.

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