Velma Blair Shewmaker's Obituary
Velma Blair Shewmaker, 94, of Gainesville, Florida passed away on December 30, 2017.
Velma was born and raised near Berdan, Illinois. She was farm tough and prairie pretty. She married Richard 'Dick' Shewmaker in 1942 and helped Dick become ordained as a preacher in the American Baptist Church. She was a homemaker and the mother of four children and she loved her role. She found a church home at Trinity United Methodist Church when she and Dick retired to Gainesville in 1980. She was truly loyal to her friends and ever faithful to her church. She sewed, or more precisely she was a seamstress. She didn't charge enough but no one could have afforded it if she charged what she was worth. If it sat still she cleaned it and if you sat still you were put to work. She loved to visit family and it made her more of a world traveler than she ever expected. She wrote a book. And published it. She baked cinnamon rolls and fried homemade doughnuts for crowds of extended family on Saturday mornings. She loved unconditionally without limit and she got it all back. She could be stubborn, frankly we’re surprised she’s gone, but no more than she is. She will be missed.
Velma is preceded in death by her husband Dick, her parents William Curtis Blair and Alta Jane Reynolds Blair, her brother Wayne Blair, and her son Rich Shewmaker.
Velma is survived by her daughter Kathleen Miller (Mike), her sons Mike Shewmaker (Keiko) and Paul Shewmaker (Sandy); her sister Lucile Tipps; plus six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel at Trinity United Methodist Church, 4000 NW 53rd Ave, Gainesville, with a reception immediately following in the Fisherman classroom.
Memorials may be given in lieu of flowers to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061. www.macular.org.
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