Irene Shoemaker

GATE CITY, Va. — Irene Shoemaker, 88, Gate City, Va., passed away Saturday (March 12, 2011) at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center.

Irene was born in Tazewell County, Va., on July 4, 1922, to the late Jim and Nannie Johnson. It was in Tazewell County, Va., where she attended school until moving to Gate City, Va., on Oct. 6, 1941, to be with her mother. She loved gardening, caring for pets, and keeping house. She spent 26 years in house service with Inter Mountain Telephone Company, 14 years at the Gate City Laundry Mat, and in 1997 she took on the job of caregiver.
She loved the Atlanta Braves baseball team and watching Tiger Woods play golf. Going to the Fairview Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays was a passion she pursued for 30 years.
She was a member of Hale’s Chapel Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by seven brothers and three sisters.
She is survived by cousins, Virginia Clemons, Tazewell, Va., and Mrs. Fay Vi n e y, Tazewell, Va.; and one granddaughter, Adrianna Latoia “Toy” Shoemaker, Greenville, Tenn.; grandson, Jason Shoemaker; and daughter-in-law, Aubrey Shoemaker, Greeneville, Tenn.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Gate City Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. in the Gene Falin Memorial Chapel of the funeral home with the Rev. Rochelle Maxwell and Pastor Keenan West officiating.
Burial will follow in the Holston View Cemetery, Weber City, Va. Carl Muncey, Bob Payne, Wallace Ross, Jr., and Buster Stacy will serve as pallbearers. James Woods and Wallace Ross Sr. will serve as honorary pallbearers. An online guest registry is available for the Shoemaker family at www.gatecityfunerals.com. Gate City Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family of Irene Shoemaker.