Clarissa Anna Schipp, 89

Clarissa was the oldest of five children born to Gilbert and Laura Witte-Schipp, on February 6, 1932 in Ferdinand. 

Clarissa attended Academy of Immaculate Conception and later began working for Bartley Store in Ferdinand. She had fond memories of the people she worked with at Bartley’s and the local people she helped who frequented the store. Clarissa then went to work for Indiana Telephone Corporation which operated out of a small office on Main Street in Ferdinand. Later Indiana Telephone morphed, after many changes, into being part of Verizon Communications. Clarissa worked for more than 40 years for Verizon before she retired on January 1, 1991, at which time she moved back to Ferdinand from Seymour, Indiana and helped to care for her mother, Laura, until her death in 2000. Clarissa was about faith, family, work, and loyalty. She had a couple of regrets in life that she mentioned regularly: One was that she never got the pony she wanted as a child. She was sure that her Grandma Anna Witte would let her keep it on the farm, but that didn’t happen! The other regret was that she wanted a convertible, and even though she was paying for it she was not allowed to get one because they were dangerous! Here’s hoping that a pony and red convertible are waiting at the Pearly Gates when she gets there! Maybe her Saturday night Dominoes Group of ladies will also have the table laid out and ready for a game. And if it’s not asking too much, a Churchill Downs racetrack would complete the picture! 

Clarissa is survived by her sister, Norma Schipp of Jasper, her brother David Schipp of Jasper, two nephews, Christopher Schipp of Ferdinand and Jeremy Schipp of Poseyville, one niece, Katherine Schipp-Moeller of Brownsburg, and six great nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert and Laura, her brother Robert Schipp, Ferdinand, and her sister, (Vera) Sister Mary Gilbert Schipp, OSB of Beech Grove, Indiana.

 A Mass of Christian Burial for Clarissa will be held at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, October 27 at Christ the King Catholic Church in Ferdinand. Visitation will be prior to Mass in church from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow immediately in the church cemetery. A special thanks to Heart to Heart Hospice for their support and care during her illness. It was greatly appreciated! 

Memorial contributions to honor Clarissa may be made to the Retired Sisters’ Fund, c/o Sisters of St. Benedict, 1402 Southern Avenue, Beech Grove, Indiana 46107 or online at www.benedictine.com or to a favorite charity. Online condolences may be shared at www.becherfuneralhome.com.