Mr. William Joseph Shumate

Mr. William Joseph 'Bill' Shumate age 93, of Thomaston, died Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at Upson Regional Medical Center. Graveside funeral services for Mr. Shumate will be held on Saturday, June 27th, 2015 at 11:00 AM in Upson Memorial Gardens with Rev. Joey Smith and Rev. Jerome Stallings officiating. Mr. Shumate was born in Thomaston on March 20, 1922, a son of the late Hardy Shumate and Daisy Eidson Shumate. He was a veteran of the U. S. Army and served his country honorably in the European and African Theater of Operations during World War II under General Patton. He was among the combat troops who invaded Europe by way of Africa. With his fellow soldiers, Mr. Shumate sailed to Africa on the Mauretania, sister ship to the Lusitania. While in Egypt, Mr. Shumate was injured in combat when he shielded a small boy from flying shrapnel with his body. For his injuries, Mr. Shumate was awarded a purple heart. For saving the life of the child, the child's father, a local jewelry maker, handcrafted a beautiful gold ring, adorned with Mr. Shumate's initials. Yet, when asked, Mr. Shumate would never speak about his war experiences, and he would never reveal how he obtained his ring. For this act and the way Mr. Shumate lived his life humbly thereafter, his family is most proud. After his Army service Mr. Shumate was employed as a police officer for the East Thomaston Police Department. Later he worked as a foreman in the spinning department of Thomaston Mills until his retirement in 1986. He was a member of East Thomaston Baptist Church. Mr. Shumate is survived by two daughters, Gloria Taylor and Pamela (Duane) Kellett, both of Thomaston; five grandchildren, Slate Taylor of Atlanta, and Sloan (Tim) Ledbetter, Shay (Ricky) English, Bree Kellett (Wayne) Lowry and Ryan Kellett, all of Thomaston; and six great grandchildren, Dayne Lowry, Jackson Lowry, Ellie English, Jules Passmore, Landry English and Emilia Lowry. He was preceded in death by his wife, Myrtice Barron Shumate. The family of Mr. Shumate will receive friends at Fletcher-Day Funeral Home on Friday from 5 until 7 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the East Thomaston Baptist Church, P. O. Box 329, Thomaston, GA 30286.