Rosemary Shipe McBee

Rosemary Shipe was born on Nov. 28, 1943, in Ada, Oklahoma, the youngest child of Guy and Anne Louise Meaders Shipe. She grew up studying piano and swimming with her siblings at Shady Springs ranch. Rosemary graduated from Ada High School and attended the University of Oklahoma, where she was a Kappa Kappa Gamma. She met George McBee on a blind date arranged by mutual friends. Rosemary graduated with a vocational home economics degree in 1966 and married George on August 27, 1966, at the First United Methodist Church in Ada. Rosemary taught kindergarten in Norman and vocational home economics in Albany, Georgia, where George was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

In 1970, George returned with Rosemary to his hometown of Poteau, Oklahoma, where they raised their three children. Rosemary was active in the First Christian Church as a choir member, Deaconess, and past president of Christian Women’s Fellowship. She was also past president of the Poteau American Heart Association, a founding member and past president of Epsilon Zeta (the Poteau chapter of a women’s service organization), past president of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference Auxiliary, and was past president of Philanthropic Education Organization, which promotes educational opportunities for women. She especially treasured the friends she made through church, Epsilon Zeta and P.E.O.

Rosemary managed George’s election campaigns and business interests. Her favorite pastimes were spending time with George camping and canoeing, snow skiing, traveling by cruise ship, playing golf, and designing and making jewelry. She enjoyed watching the horse races with George and friends at the Oaklawn Jockey Club in Hot Springs, Arkansas. For the last 20 years she loved spending each January with George in Desert Hot Springs, California, where she had many friends. Rosemary supported the CASC Scholars and the CASC Foundation with a particular passion for serving on the CASC Gold Dust Gala decorating committee. Rosemary was a member of the Carl Albert State College Hall of Fame.

Drawing on her experiences as a military officer’s wife, in 1999 Rosemary created a Manners Matter seminar that she presented to the CASC Scholars annually. She wanted to empower the scholars to be confident in their manners in any social situation, especially any business functions her pupils might attend. Her seminar covered the details of formal dining, how and when to write thank you notes (promptly, and always!), and other etiquette.

Rosemary passed this life and entered into eternal rest on June 21, 2026, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Rosemary is survived by George, her husband of nearly 60 years; her brother Jack Shipe (Sharon) of Ada, sister Martha Ehrlich Jones of Ada; her daughter Jessica Kerrigan (Wade) of Kansas City, Missouri; her son Matt (Jenna) of Poteau; and her son Josh of Oklahoma City. She was a proud and loving grandmother to Eileen Benninghoff (Tyler) of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Julia Kerrigan of Iowa City, Iowa; Georgia Kerrigan of Evanston, Illinois, and Ethan McBee of Weatherford, Oklahoma. She loved her niece and nephews and extended family members and friends.

Friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Life at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at First Christian Church in Poteau, reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the CASC Development Foundation, c/o Mandy Roberts, 1507 South McKenna, Poteau, OK 74953.

Online condolences can be made at www.holtfuneralandcremation.com

“Through Love, Serve One Another”