Irene Shealy

Col US Air Force Nursing Corps (Ret.) Katherine Irene Shealy, 93, of Newberry, died Wednesday, January 3, 2018, at Springfield Place.

Born on August 20, 1924, in Newberry, to the late Clarence A. Shealy, Sr. and Bertha Jones Shealy. She graduated from Newberry High School and completed a two year course at Newberry College. She assisted our World War II efforts in Washington, DC and then she graduated with a nursing degree from Columbia Hospital. Miss Shealy then joined the US Air Force in 1953 and served during the Korean War and Vietnam War. She spent eighteen months in Vietnam serving with a MASH Unit. While serving in the military she obtained her Masters Degree in Nursing from the University of Maryland. She then participated as a flight nurse between Frankfurt, Germany and Washington, DC. After 22 years of service she retired with the rank of Colonel.

During her military career she received numerous awards including, the National Defense Service Medal with Palm, Air Force Longivity Service Award with four Bronze Palms, Air Force Commendation Medal with Palm, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Battle Stars, Republic of Vietnam Commendation Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal.

Miss Shealy was a loving sister, aunt and friend and will always be loved and remembered by her surviving brothers, Clarence A. Shealy and Robert G. Shealy and her sister, Faye Mills and her sister-in-laws, Joan Shealy, Alice Faye Shealy and Jeraldine Shealy and her many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by brothers, Richard Shealy and Troy Shealy, a brother-in-law, Floyd Mills and sisters-in-law, Mildred Shealy and Benny Lou Shealy.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 pm Saturday, January 6, 2018, at the McSwain-Evans Funeral Chapel by the Rev. William Hightower. Burial with full military honors will be held at Rosemont Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:30 – 2:30 pm at the McSwain-Evans Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Epting United Methodist Church, 1401 Milligan Street, Newberry, SC 29108 or the charity of one's choice.

Active pallbearers will be nephews.

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