Kemuel (Kem) Wayne Shipp Sr., 72, of Kennesaw passed away Sunday, May 22, 2011. Private family services will be held.
Predeceased in death by his parents Mescal and Rushard Shipp both of Kennesaw and a brother Geoffrey Shipp. He is survived by a daughter Dori and her husband Brandon Smith of Acworth and their three children, David, Annie and Mary Claire Smith. He is also survived by a son, Skip Shipp of Kennesaw, his wife Casey and Skip’s two daughters Lauryn and Anderson Shipp of Marietta. Also a nephew Todd Shipp, Cartersville, GA.
Kem graduated from Sprayberry High School in 1957. The “state high scorer” in basketball and high school's “All American” for two years, received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Kentucky. His formal education was completed at Furman University.
Shipp entered the insurance field in 1965. After many years in management with Metropolitan Life and Paul Revere Insurance, he opened his own brokerage in 1971. He maintained his insurance brokerage twenty-six years under Kem Shipp Agency.
In 1972, Shipp began Shilo Enterprises that was a holding company that owned and operated a Chevron Oil station, a country store, an old fashion ice cream parlor and a log home contract company.
He served as past president of the Kennesaw Business Association, past director and active member of the Kennesaw Optimist Club, past board member of the North Cobb Rotary Club. He was a member of the Greater Acworth Business and Professional Association. He was an active member on the Citizens Advisory boards of Kennesaw Elementary, Ford Elementary, Frey Elementary, Vaughn Elementary, Lewis Elementary and North Cobb High School.
Kem was elected to State Legislature in 1992 where he served the 38th District covering Acworth and Kennesaw. He served the Cobb County Legislative delegation as Secretary/Treasurer for the 1993-94 session, Vice Chair for 1995-96, and Chair for 1997-98. In the 1993-94 session, as just a freshman, he was appointed to three of the most important house committees: Health & Ecology; Insurance; and Natural Resources & Environment. As of the 1997 Session, Kem served on the following house committees: Appropriations; Health & Ecology; and Insurance.
Donations can be made in memory of Kem to the Kennesaw Musuem Foundation, P.O. Box 846, Kennesaw, GA 30156 or
www.kennesawmuseumfoundation.org/support
.