Obituary of Anastacia Carranza

Anastacia Shipula Carranza 

December 23, 1929 – February 7, 2018 

Anastacia Shipula was born at home to Metro and Helen Shipula in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on December 23, 1929.  Both Metro and Helen were immigrants to the United States from the Ukraine.  Stacy was the last of seven children, of which only four made it to adulthood.   

She loved life!  Stacy served as the drum majorette of the Hanover High School Marching Band, but art was her gift and her love. She went off to Kutztown State Teachers College as an Art major and was their drum majorette.  She graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from Kutztown in 1950.  She returned to Wilkes-Barre to teach art at both Hanover Grammar school and High School.   

Stacy met John Carranza the summer of 1954 while she worked at Mount Airy Lodge’s front desk during her summer break. Stacy’s sister, Helen Sevier ran the women’s hair salon at Mt. Airy Lodge.  John struck up conversation with Stacy by asking where he could attend Sunday mass in the area.  She accompanied him to mass that Sunday.  Stacy and John fell in love and were married the following summer, June 25, 1955. 

John and Stacy had 3 girls; Leslie, Cathy and “Little Stacy”.  As the girls grew up, she sewed clothes for them making matching Easter dresses, capes, robes, and Alpine skirts.  Stacy also tailored some clothing for herself... and Barbie and Skipper.   

The family attended mass “religiously” at St. Peter’s Church.  As a family they vacationed at Walt Disney World and Florida quite a bit.  

Stacy and John enjoyed boating, tennis, and the social functions at Port Washington Yacht Club.  They did a lot of entertaining, dance lessons, bridge, and bowling.  Stacy won the Women’s Singles Tennis Championship one year at PWYC.  Stacy was very active in the Great Neck Women’s Club.    

She spent a lot of time with her watercolors in art classes, on the golf course, at Old Westbury Gardens or in her basement studio at 16 Bayview.   Stacy encouraged the girls at arts and crafts and painting.  Together they made hundreds of personalized golf balls for dad.    

She always had a sweet sparkle in her eye. She always kept a positive attitude.  She will be missed! 

In lieu of flowers the family asks donations be made to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

or Kutztown University.