John Melvin Shoemaker, age 86, of Douglasville, Georgia passed away Friday, March 1, 2024. He was born July 14, 1937 in Delaware, Arkansas. He proudly served his country as a Veteran of the U.S. Army. John earned an Associate’s Degree from Florissant Valley Community College in St. Louis, Missouri. He retired in 1995 from General Motors with a career spanning over 30 years. While family was foremost in John’s life, he also enjoyed working in his yard and was quite proud of his gardening and the vegetables it produced. He was a piddler and a true do-it-yourself man. In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking and sports, especially baseball. John was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America and was a member of New Georgia Baptist Church for 19 years.
Preceding him in death were his parents, John Alfred and Ella Stewart Shoemaker; son, Jerel Wayne Shoemaker; and sister, Anna Kay Kelley.
Those left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 56 years, Alice Jones Shoemaker; children, John Shoemaker II, Jeffrey Mark (Luann) Shoemaker and Jason Trent (Wynne) Shoemaker; siblings, Melba (Jim) Leonard, Joy Light, Earnest Shoemaker, Phillip (Beth) Shoemaker and Linda (Larry) Dildine; grandchildren, Jerel Wayne “J.W.” (Rebekah) Shoemaker, Lauren Elisabeth Shoemaker, Jeffrey “Mark” Shoemaker, Jr., Jesse Toler “J.T.” Shoemaker and Stephen “Wyatt” Shoemaker; great grandchildren, Georgia Lorraine Shoemaker and Jerel Wayne Shoemaker III; as well as numerous other extended family members and a host of friends.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday, March 4, 2024 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM. The funeral service will be Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 10:00 AM in the Chapel of New Georgia Baptist Church with Dr. Keith Stell and Dr. James Burdette officiating. Serving as pallbearers are grandsons, J.W. Shoemaker, J.T. Shoemaker and Wyatt Shoemaker; brother, Phillip Shoemaker; and family friends, Rock Toler and Cisco Perezcassar. John will be laid to rest in Maywood Cemetery in Maywood, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the New Georgia Building Fund at www.ngbc.org or to Maywood Cemetery, State Highway V, Maywood, Missouri 63454.
Thoughts and condolences to the family may be shared online at www.whitleygarner.com.
Whitley-Garner at Rosehaven Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the services of John Shoemaker.
