Ethel Shockley

Our mom, Ethel Mae Shockley, was born on Monday, December 26, 1938, in Dover, Delaware, to parents Elva Summers and Fletcher Baynard. From the age of five, she was raised by her mother and beloved stepfather, Franklin Wisher. She was the oldest of three children. After more than two decades of health challenges, she entered into her eternal rest early Friday morning, March 6, 2020. She was 81 years young. Mom’s early childhood education started at Star Hill Elementary School and continued in the Dover School District. She then attended William Henry High School in Dover, Delaware, where she met the love of her life, Joseph Shockley, Sr. They were joined in holy matrimony on October 2, 1954, and God blessed that union with five sons and four daughters. Mom took her role of wife and motherhood very seriously and made the decision to be a stay-at-home mom until her youngest child entered first grade. For many years, she was a Den Mother for her son’s Cub Scout troop, and, as her children got older, she sat on an unlimited number of bleachers at various sporting events (football, basketball, and baseball), in which her accomplished sons were involved. Her children gave her much to contend with, from broken limbs, to field trips, to proms, to weddings, to college, to grandchildren, to un-announced dinner guests, and everything in-between. She shared whatever she cooked for her family with neighborhood kids and others who were present at mealtime. Whether it was a pot of beans or spaghetti, pans of fried fish and fried potatoes, or a helping of hamburger gravy…it was all available for her own and for excess children and other guests. Mom always opened her home, even for friends and family who needed a place to live. God gave her and daddy a large home, and she filled every inch of it with love for all. She simply never missed a beat and was a constant cheerleader for her family and friends. When mom finally began working outside the home, she became employed for a few years at Drug Fair before starting her 25-year tenure at Playtex. She accepted Christ and joined First Pilgrim Baptist Church in Camden, Delaware, where she served faithfully on the choir for more than 20 years. She then joined Calvary Baptist Church in the early eighties and served on the Pastor’s Aide Committee and the Floral Guild, until her health began to decline. She loved gospel music, and she was especially pleased that modern technology allowed her to be a part of Calvary’s Sunday services through live streaming on YouTube. Mom had a greeting card ministry, which allowed her to send cards to various people to celebrate their birthdays and other special occasions. Each year at Christmastime, she would send nearly 200 Christmas cards to her friends. She also loved to do her daily early morning Bible Study, which bolstered her belief in her favorite scripture: “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Mom believed in keeping her mind sharp, so she would journal the day’s events and regularly used her iPad to play Solitaire, Word Search, and Paint by Numbers. Each day was not complete if she did not get her daily dose of old TV shows, like Andy Griffith, I Love Lucy, The Duggers, and Little House on the Prairie. She was a trusted friend to many, and we called her blessed. She was fun-loving, honest, dependable, and God-fearing. In addition to her parents, mom was preceded in death by our dad, Joseph Shockley, Sr.; our baby brother, Eric Shockley; our oldest brother, Larry Shockley; and our aunt (her sister), Agnes Sudler. She leaves to cherish her memory, seven children: Deborah Anderson and Karen Shockley, both of Camden, DE; Joseph Shockley, Jr. (Joy), Newville, PA; Sonia Grant (Bruce), Manchester, NJ; Kevin Shockley, Camden, DE; Stephanie Scott (Chester), Felton, DE; and Jeffrey Shockley (Theresa), Dover, DE; one brother, Benjamin Wisher (Terinda), Dover, DE; 19 grandchildren: Ashley Shockley, Dover, DE; Stacey Blanchard (Ron), Camden, DE; Brieann Anderson, Dover, DE; Harold Anderson, Jr., Chantilly, VA; Shannon Robinson (Matthew), Newville, PA; Tony Fletcher (Jackie), Atlanta, GA; Joseph Shockley III (Tiffany), Charlotte, NC; Marie Shockley, Harrisburg, PA; Kristin Shockley (Kyle), Newville, PA; Derrick Grant, Fairfield, CA; Noel Grant (Bonita), Hyattsville, MD; Jason Grant, Hyattsville, MD; Bruce Grant, Jr., Lakewood, NJ; Shanya Shockley and Krystyna “Kay” Shockley, both of Frederica, DE; Mike Scott, Milford, DE; Latasha Valentin (Thenard), Townsend, DE; Robyn Newman, Camden, DE; and Latoya Thomas Meyers, Clarksville, TN; 27 great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; a special daughter-in-love, Phyllis Cannon (Ronnie), Dover, DE; a special cousin, Marguerite Harris, Dover, DE; a special foster sister, Elaine Martin; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other close relatives and friends. Humbly Submitted by the Family

Ethel Shockley

December 26, 1938 - March 6, 2020