Betty Mae Shipman, 78, of Sheridan died Monday, March 31, 2003, after a long illness. A celebration of her life will be 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Sheridan's Elks Lodge 520 at 45 W. Brundage Street. Arrangements are with the family. Mrs. Shipman was born Feb. 1, 1925, in Spokane, Wash., to Matt and Viola (Bingham) Michels. She married Chester Harold Stroup Feb. 29, 1941, in Hardin, Mont.

She graduated from Sheridan High School in 1944 and worked for Mountain Bell Telephone for 25 years before retiring to pursue travel and leisure activities with Mr. Stroup. He died July 7, 1983. Mrs. Shipman married Gordon Shipman Nov. 15, 1990.

She was a member of Eagles Aerie 186 Auxiliary, Elks Lodge 520 Does, the Sheridan Doll Club, Bead Club, the class of 1944 and Mountain Bell Telephone Ladies Group. She played pan Ginny (a card game) every Tuesday with special friends.

Survivors include her husband; three children, Sue Brooks of Scio, Ore., and Tom and Harry Stroup of Sheridan; stepdaughters Patty Krasovick of Hamilton, Mont., and Maxine Vering of Arizona; two brothers, Glen Michels and Steve Michels of Idaho; a sister, Josephine Sare of Sheridan; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.