J.L. Shumate

J. L. Shumate, age 85, of Shady Valley, Tennessee, entered peacefully into Heaven on Friday, May 20, 2011 at Watauga Medical Center in Boone, North Carolina after a lengthy illness. He was surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Grayson County, Virginia and had lived in Shady Valley, Tennessee most of his life. He was the son of the late McKinley and Sarah Shumate. Mr. Shumate retired from Raytheon Corporation after 32 ½ years of service and was formerly on the Board of Directors at Skyline Telephone Company for 51 years. He was a member of Shady Valley Church of Christ. Having shared the same birthday as Abraham Lincoln, J.L. had a lifelong interest in him, collecting many books and studying his life. He always had one favorite quote from Abraham Lincoln that he lived by: "I do the very best I know how - the best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end." In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by three sisters, Emma Moffett, Ruby Waddell, and Fontella Richardson. He is survived by his wife, Shirley J. Shumate; one son, John L. Shumate, Jr. and his wife, Lorrie, of Shady Valley, Tennessee; two sisters, Ruth Epright of Pottstown, Pennsylvania and Lillian Hayes of Troutdale, Virginia; his pup, Precious, and grand-pup, Smokey; and several nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be conducted at 8:00 P.M. Monday, May 23, 2011 in the Riverview Chapel at Garrett Funeral Home with Pastor Tom Peake and Pastor Jack Stevens officiating. The committal service and interment will be at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at Blevins Cemetery in Shady Valley, Tennessee. Pallbearers will be Tim Leonard, Arvey Blevins, Roger Reece, Doug Ball, Tim Yates, and Steve Hayes. Honorary pallbearers will be the Skyline Telephone Company Board of Directors, Jimmy Blevins, and Rob Stanley. The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. to 7:45 P.M. Monday prior to the funeral service at the funeral home or at any time at the home of John Jr. and Lorrie. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Mountain City Rehabilitation Center, including Ashley, Carolyn, and Melissa; and Watauga Medical Center, including the ER nurses, ICU nurses, 3rd Floor West nurses, and The Rev. Melanie Childers. Online condolences may be sent to the family and a memorial video tribute may be viewed by visiting www.garrettfuneralhome.com. Mr. Shumate and his family are in the care of Garrett Funeral Home, 203 N. Shady Avenue, Damascus, VA 24236, ph.#: 276-475-3631. As requested, this obituary is a courtesy of Mountain City Funeral Home of Mountain City, TN 37683.