Amel Shibley

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The Rev. Amel A. Shibley, 73, formerly of New Madrid, died Sept. 14, 2002, in Cape Girardeau.

Born March 5, 1929, in New Madrid, son of the late Gabriel and Merym Samaha Shibley, he was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Shibley attended St. Louis Preparatory Seminary and the Kendrick Seminary in St. Louis and was ordained on March 25, 1962, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Madrid.

He served as an assistant pastor at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg, St. Francis Xavier Church in Sikeston, St. Agnes Cathedral in Springfield and St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau. In 1967, he was assigned his first pastorate at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Piedmont. He also served as pastor at St. Ann Parish in Malden, St. Eustachius in Portageville, St. Francis in Sikeston and St. Lawrence in New Hamburg before retiring in 1995. Following his retirement, he was part-time administrator of the St. Michael Parish in Fredericktown.

Shibley was elected to the Diocese Senate in 1966 and served as moderator of Region VIII in 1978 and in 1981. In 1979, he was named Diocesan Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, a position he held for several years.

Survivors include: four nieces, Mary Elizabeth Ballinger of Memphis, Tenn., Sally Ann Lipsey of Bonita Springs, Fla., Dr. Amelia Ann Whigham of Alpharetta, Ga., and Dr. Carolyn Staton of Oxford, Miss.; five nephews, David Ellis of Vicksburg, Miss., Robert Ellis of Germantown, Tenn., Michael Glen Ellis of Alpharetta, James Ray Clodfelter of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and David Clodfelter of Denver, Colo.; two sisters-in-law, Margariette McMikle Shibley of Germantown and Tillie Abide Shibley of New Orleans, La.; and one brother-in-law, Ray Clodfelter of Jackson, Miss.; and 24 great-nieces and nephews; and 19 great-great-nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were three brothers and one sister-in-law, John G. and Sally Hamra Shibley, Waddell Shibley and Edward Shibley; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Margarete and John Ellis and Elizabeth Clodfelter; and two nephews, John Edward Ellis and Michael Edward Shibley.

Visitation begins at 5:30 p.m. today at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Madrid, where a prayer service is scheduled for 7 p.m.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church with Bishop John Leibrecht, of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, officiating.

American Legion Post 595 of New Madrid will conduct military graveside rites at the Evergreen Cemetery in New Madrid.

Pallbearers will be: Doug Ballinger, Walt Lipsey, Dr. William Whigham Jr., James Clodfelter, David Clodfelter, David Ellis, Bobby Ellis and John E. Ellis Jr.

Memorial contributions may be sent to a charity or church of the donor's choice or

the American Heart Association

P.O. Box 1653 Topeka, Kan. 66601-1653

Paid obituary