Friday, April 6, 2012

Tribute to Joann

Joann Mary Gariety Shipley, 67, a Fairfax County public school educator who retired in 2001 as the librarian of Franconia Elementary School in Alexandria died April 5, 2012 at her residence in Haymarket, Virginia. She had acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Joann Gariety Shipley was born June 5, 1944, and raised on a farm near Russia, Ohio. She was a 1962 graduate of Russia Public School and a 1966 graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a degree in elementary education. She did graduate studies in library science at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. After graduation in 1966, she began her teaching career at Huffman Elementary School in Dayton, Ohio. From 1968 until 1974 she taught for the Department of Defense Overseas School System spending two years teaching first grade on Okinawa at Sukiran Elementary and four years in Germany at Frankfurt Elementary No. 1. While teaching in Frankfurt, she met and married her husband, Jack Shipley, in April 1974.

After returning to the States in 1974, she resided in Sierra Vista, Arizona, where she was the school librarian at Carmichael Elementary. In 1979 she moved to Virginia and was a housewife and mother to her two daughters until she accepted a position in 1984 at George Mason University’s Fenwick library. She became the school librarian at Franconia Elementary in 1987. After retiring in 2001 she moved to the Piedmont community in Haymarket, VA, where she pursued her three passions—traveling, gardening and reading.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leo A. and Theresa (Dapore) Gariety, and two brothers, Paul and Harold Gariety.

She is survived by her husband of the home; her daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Terry Karras of Haymarket; and her daughter Jeanine and son-in-law Dave Smith of Woodbridge; her grandson, Jack Karras of Haymarket; a brother, Carl Gariety and his wife Esther Gariety of Russia, Ohio; a sister, Mary Ellen Thobe and her husband Jerry Thobe of Tipp City, Ohio; a sister-in-law, Iona Gariety of Versailles, Ohio; and many nephews and nieces and a host of loving friends.

Visitation will be at the Baker-Post Funeral Home, 10001 Nokesville Road, Manassas, VA, on April 9 from 6-8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 8213 Linton Hall Road, Gainesville, VA, on Tuesday, April 10 at 10:30 am. Joann’s ashes will be placed in the columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Joann requested that donations be made to the Holy Trinity Catholic Church building fund in lieu of flowers.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras = Fat Tuesday Before Lent

Jeanine's Birthday - March 4'th

Jeanine's Birthday - March 4

Jeanine's Engagement Ring

Jeanine's Engagement Ring
So Pretty!

Italian Cruise Ships

Italian Cruise Ships

In January of 2009 Jack and I sailed on an Italian cruise ship to the western carribean to visit the following places: Key West, Cozumel, Jamaica, The Bahamas and Grand Bahamas. Since it was winter the majority of passengers of this ship were Europeans escaping the cold temps in Europe for a week. The name of our ship was The Costa Fortuna which was the sister ship to The Costa Concordia that was shipwrecked of the coast of Italy. We enjoyed our cruise but now I don 't think we would take another Costa Cruise. Especially since the recent news that The Costa Allegra ran a ground off the coast of east Africa where there are pirates attacking ships from the coast of Somalia.

What I remember and like so well about this cruise was that a Catholic priest was assigned to the ship and every morning there was the announcement that the priest would be saying mass in the very small but very pretty Catholic chapel aboard the ship.

To learn more about our cruise and the Catholic chapel go to the right and click on the topic 2009
Carribean Cruise. You will see photos of the ship and the chapel.

Monday, March 5, 2012

The February Book Club Meeting

The February Book Club Meeting

Go to my other blog to learn more about this strange horror story that reads like a Stephen King horror book.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Our Scottish Heather Is Blooming Now

Our Scottish Heather Is Blooming Now

First Week of Lent and Gilligans Island TV Show

First Week of Lent and Gilligans Island TV Show

Remember this old TV show. The main characters represent the seven deadly sins.
The Captain was wrath (anger)

Thurston Howell, the millionaire,. was greed.

Ginger was lust.

Mary Ann who envied Ginger was envy.

Gilligan was sloth (laziness).

The professor was Pride.

And supposedly Gilligans Island was hell where they landed after they got shipwrecked.

Mrs. Howell the millionaire's wife was gluttony.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

News Flash: Former Franconia Students

News Flash: Former Franconia Students
I learn from Diana Mistretta, a sixth grade teacher when I was there about some former Franconia students. Charles Watson who was in Diana's class is now a NBA ref and Kathy Whigham is a pediatrician at the Dewitt Army Hospital in Fort Belvoir. Wow. Time goes by quickly when you learn your former students are professional workers.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Kara Lawson

Kara Lawson
Jack and I watched Kara Lawson play many basketball games for West Springfield High here in northern Virginia. We noticed this week that she is now a half time announcer for ESPN sports network. Way to go Kara Lawson!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Ash Wednesday is Here

Ash Wednesday is Here
Get Your Ashes

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday
Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, arrived with lots if cold and rain in Northern Virginia. Here's a pic of Jack standing beside our new 2011 Buick La Crosse. He and I enjoy the heated seats and he loves his heated steering wheel on these cold days.

Water Bugs and Dragonflies

Water Bugs and Dragonflies
I want to thank my niece Deb Wirrig for sending me this children's book explaining death to little folks. My home nurse liked it so much she wants to get a copy for her home care work.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Letter to Washington Post

Letter to Washington Post
I agree with the writer who worries that the Susan G. Komen campaign for breast cancer awareness has turned all cancers to pink. That is not true. I have leukemia which is a lymphoma.
The color for leukemia is lime green and the month designated for leukemia is September.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Look Who Came Over To See Me

Look Who Came Over To See Me Friday Night!
All The Book Club Members With Their Glasses of Wine.
Cheers Everyone!

Look At This




Look At This
Another Valentine bear has arrived. This one is from Dr. Jackson my last principal at Franconia Elementary School. Isn't he cute. I'll call him Jackson. So here is Darlene and Jackson. Jackson came with a bouquet of spring tulips and iris and a box of gourmet chocolates. Wow!
Thanks so much Dr Jackson. How sweet of you to send these things to me.

Joann's Valentines Day Outfit

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Julie's Rose, Reflections While Growing Up On The Farm

Julie's Rose, Reflections While Growing up on The Farm

My sister, Mary Ellen, sent me this book and I read it in two days. The setting is very near Russia, Ohio, where I grew up. The book brought back lots of old memories.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Super Bowl 46

Super Bowl 46

The Giants versus the Patriots

Who do you want to win the big game?

Honey Bees and Bee Hives

Honey Bees and Bee Hives
I talked yesterday to my sister in law,Esther Gariety, who told me that a lady that has bee hives and honey bees said that you can tell when in the next 30 days or so a big snow or cold event is coming because the bees begin to close up their bee hives to keep the cold and snow out and the honey bees safe on the inside of the bee hives. Interesting concept. So get ready folks for some bad weather.

PiedmontReaders

PiedmontReaders

I would like for you to look over to the right and see my other blog PiedmontReaders. Click on it and you will find out what books the group read from November thru January.

Leukemia Update #2

Leukemia Update #2

I was in the Prince William Hospital twice in January so it has been awhile since I wrote a new blog. I wanted to add one more thing to my blog about Christmas 2011. Here is a video of the train Jack bought to go around our big tree in our living room. Our grandson Little Jack had fun coming over to see it go around and around our tree.

Take a look here.


Friday, January 13, 2012

Our First Snowfall of the Winter

Our First Snowfall of the Winter
Jack and I woke up to a winter wonderland of snow and ice.
By late Tuesday afternoon it had all melted e
xcept for some very shaded areas of our yard.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Roman Catholic Version Of 12 Days Of Christmas

A Partridge in a Pear Tree : Jesus Christ

Two Turtle Doves : The Old and New Testaments

Three French Hens : The Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity

Four Calling Birds :The Four Gospels and The Four Evangelists

Five Golden Rings : The First Five Books of the Old Testament

Six Geese A Laying : The Six Days of Creation

Seven Swans A Swimming : The Seven Sacraments

Eight Maids A Milking : The Eight Beatitudes

Nine Ladies Dancing : The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Ten Lords A Leaping : The Ten Commandments

Eleven Pipers Piping : The Eleven Faithful Apostles of Jesus

Twelve Drummers Drumming : The Twelve Catholic Points of Doctrine in the Prayer, The Apostles Creed

Did You Have A Good New Year's Eve and New Year's Day?

Did You Have A Good New Year's Eve
And New Year's Day?
Jack and I watched the ball drop in New York City.
We also watched 6000 ping pong balls drop in Old Town Alexandria.
We saluted 2012 with sparkling grape juice and were in bed by 12:15!

Look At This

Look At This!
Got These Narcissus For Christmas.
When They Came They Were Under Ground In The Pot.
In Less Than A Week They Were18 Inches Tall And In Bloom!

Memories of Christmas Day at Joann and Jack's House

Jennifer Made Dave Smith A Stocking For Our Family Stocking Layout.
Dave Smith Came Out For Christmas At Our House.
Daddy Read The Directions For The Car Raceway.
Barney Loved Opening Presents!
Stockings Up at Our Fireplace.
Jennifer Made Her Sister This Beautiful Quilt.
Where Did Jennifer Get Her Creative Handiwork Talents?
It Was Not From Momma Joann!
I Got A Miami University of Ohio Sweatshirt!
Go Redhawks!

Memories of Christmas Eve at Jenn's House

Memories of Christmas Eve at Jenn's House
We Were Delighted That Jeanine's Fiance Dave Smith Could Join Us For Dinner.
Jenn Set A Beautiful Table.
Here Is Our Hostess.
Stockings Were Up At The Fireplace.
The Tree Was Glowing In The Window.
Little Jack Had His Own Special Tree.
Grandpa Jack With Little Jack's Christmas Toy.
Grandma and Grandpa Got Sleepy.
Little Jack Loved Opening Christmas Presents.