Royce D. Shipp's Obituary
Royce D. Shipp of Longview went peacefully to be with our Lord and Savior on December 11th, 2020.
Known as Coach to many, Royce was born May 14th 1934 in Lubbock TX to Melba Shipp. Growing up in Lubbock Royce spent a lot of time at the Boys and Girls Club as well as an active member of the First Baptist Church youth group. Athletics were always a big part of Royce’s life. At Lubbock High, Royce played football and basketball and was a member of the 1951 State Champion basketball team which was inducted into the Lubbock Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. After continuing his playing career at San Angelo Jr College Royce moved back to Lubbock to start a career in sales with General Electric. While back in Lubbock a pretty teacher from Wichita Falls caught his eye. It took only three months of dating for Royce and Mary Catherine Beck to realize they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Married in June of 1964 Royce went to Texas Tech to finish his education, graduating with a BS in Education. Throughout his young life, coaches had a positive impact on Royce, none more so that Pat Pattison, the legendary football coach at Lubbock High. Coach Pattison offered Royce his first coaching job as boys’ basketball and assistant football coach at Vernon High School. Royce’s career then took him to Tahoka Texas as assistant football coach. One day Royce received a call from his childhood friend John Blocker who had taken the football Head Coach position at Kilgore High School in Kilgore Texas and offered Royce a position with the football, basketball and baseball programs. As an assistant baseball coach Royce, aka “Big Kid “led the baseball team to State Semi Final appearances in 1971 and ’72. That Kilgore team was very special to Royce as they would invite him to team reunions throughout the years. While in Kilgore Royce completed his Master’s in Education at Stephen F. Austin State University. In 1974 Royce moved his family to Longview as he accepted a Head Coaching position at Judson Jr High. It was during this time Royce realized the impact he could have on the 13-15 year age group. While at Judson his football team went undefeated against the other Jr Highs in Longview, Foster and Forrest Park. In 1977 his good friend Maurice Cook offered him a position with the football program as head coach of the JV team at Pine Tree High School. Royce wrapped up is coaching career as defensive coordinator for Pine Tree. Falling back on his memories at Judson, Royce took a position at Pine Tree Jr High as Assistant Principal as well as working to continue his education toward a Mid-Management degree, which he obtained from East Texas State in Commerce. Royce had the honor of serving as Region 7 Director of the Texas Association of Secondary Principals from 1990- 1994. Royce had opportunities to move back up to the high school level but felt very strongly that he could make more of a difference with kids at the junior high level and thus stayed at Pine Tree Jr High until his retirement in 1994. After a year of “sitting out “he wanted to get back into schools in some way so he took a position with Balfour selling class rings. Once fully retired Royce enjoyed playing golf at Longview Country club with some of his old coaching friends and was an active member of Greggton United Methodist Church. Royce loved his Texas Tech Red Raiders always kept up with the Kilgore Bulldogs, Longview Lobos and Pine Tree Pirates. Royce had great affection for his former athletes and students and it brought him much joy when he heard from them with updates on how they were doing.
Royce is preceded in death by his mother, Melba Shipp, brothers William and Jerry Shipp.
He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Mary Catherine Shipp, son Ricky Shipp, grandsons Pierce and Ethan Shipp, daughter D’Ann Shipp and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend a big Thank You to the nursing staff at Longview Regional Hospital who were such a blessing in how they cared for Royce.
A private family service will be held Saturday December 19th at Rosewood Park Mausoleum. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday January 9th at Greggton United Methodist Church at 2:00PM. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Greggton United Methodist Church Youth group at www.greggton.org/giving Designated Fund / Youth.
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