131 years of Christian service

VCPC Homecoming brought together founding families, with a special Shipley-McFee tribute

Anne and Bill Shipley with sons, Bobby Shipley, left, and Eddie Shipley.
Virtue Cumberland Presbyterian Church Homecoming celebrated 131 years of Christian service Sunday, July 15.

“Many of our members were founding families of Farragut and are closely tied to the history of this community,” Cindy Winchester, church secretary, stated in a press release.

Special tribute was paid to long-time members Anne McFee Shipley and Bill Shipley, “who have given tirelessly of their time, treasure and talent,” Winchester stated.

The Shipleys received a “lifelong service award” from the church, while VCPC Fellowship Hall was renamed “Shipley Hall.”

In reference to the McFee family, “that family, in particular, has an especially interesting story with names that (are) recognizable to everyone in Farragut,” Winchester stated. “... Anne’s father, Fred McFee, started Concord Phone Company (now TDS) and Bill Shipley worked there his entire adult life, bringing telephones to this then rural community.”