Shelby Christine Kennedy DePrisco, devout Catholic
Shelby Christine Kennedy DePrisco, 49, passed away at Jane Phillips Hospital in Bartlesville, Okla., Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, after a two-year battle with cancer.
Shelby was born Aug. 11,1967, in Milford, the daughter of Janet E. Kennedy of Lewes, and Donald L. Messick of Nanticoke, Md. She graduated from the University of Delaware and received her master’s in business at Wilmington University. She was the wife to James A. DePrisco, married Sept. 22, 1990, and was mother to five children: Adrienne Virginia, Kyle Robert, Elyse Katherine, Lance Michael and Marie Genevieve.
In addition to her parents, Shelby is survived by her brothers Harvey R. Johnson and Donald J. Messick; and her sisters Sarah E. Smith and Kate Abreu.
Shelby was primarily a woman of God. From her love of the traditional Latin Mass to her devotion to the rosary, Shelby's unwavering belief in Christ was made tangible in the joy and compassion that she radiated. As the heart of her family, her commitment to her Catholic faith set the tone for domestic life - a life marked by love. Shelby was also an artist, and she used her talents to bring beauty into the world where it had not existed before. She had an eye for detail, which she used while quilting, knitting, growing flowers around her home, cooking, and helping her children with last minute school projects. She also took delight in history and was a member of the Col. David Hall Chapter, NSDAR in Lewes.
In addition to her faith and her cultivation of beauty, Shelby had an adventurous heart and an openness to life's many experiences. She moved with her family to six different states and even lived overseas in Aruba for six years. She enjoyed kayaking and camping; she handled the unexpected with grace and good humor. As such, she served as a support for innumerable individuals throughout her life. Her influence will not be forgotten.
One could not meet Shelby without recognizing her boundless charity and her abundant excitement for life. She will continue to be an inspiration for those blessed enough to have met her.
The Rosary was held at Stumpff Funeral Home Chapel in Bartlesville, Monday, Feb. 6, and her funeral Requiem Mass was held at St. John's Catholic Church
in Bartlesville,Tuesday, Feb. 7.
Graveside services will be held Monday Feb. 13, at 3 p.m., at Bethel Methodist Cemetery, Savannah Road, Lewes, as Lewes being a home and place she loved returning to. Friends may visit with the family at the Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Highway, Lewes, from 2 to 2:45 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, one is encouraged to send a donation to Clear Creek Monastery, 5804 W Monastery Road, Hulbert, OK 74441 in Shelby's memory.
Please visit Shelby's Life Memorial and sign her online registry at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
