SHIELDS, Gary Dwayne
SHIELDS, CANFIELD, WHITTOM, WILCOXSON, MANKE, DICKSON, BEGGS
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 10/11/2014 at 03:17:53
Obituary ~ Gary Dwayne Shields
May 01, 1933 ~ September 08, 2014Gary Dwayne Shields, 81, of the Pleasanton, Iowa area, passed away on Monday, September 8, 2014 at his home after a short battle with cancer. Gary was born May 1, 1933 near Lamoni, Iowa.
From the time he was very young, Gary was a worker, hunting rabbits and squirrels to add to the family's food table. He also shined shoes, carried buckets of coal to older folks and widows, mowed lawns, picked apples, and did most any chore that was asked of him. He fondly remembered owning a couple of milk cows and how he faithfully carried heavy glass bottles of fresh milk to his regular customers every day, twice a day.
While in high school, Gary worked at shoveling coal from incoming train cars, as well as working at the local lumberyard. The school principal let Gary attend school only 2 or 3 days a week based on Gary's good grades. When he graduated from Lamoni High School (1952), he worked at tree trimming but soon found himself inducted into the Army, becoming a paratrooper and sharp shooter. He well understood that his "hard life" had given him the advantage of making his stint in the service seem fairly easy. After serving his two years, he did whatever needed doing: trucking, carpentry, siding-installation, farming, and owning and running a gas station/convenience store just south of Pleasanton. Gary took pleasure and pride in taking good care of his family, farm, customers, and animals. In many different ways, he helped a lot of people, doing things for them that he didn't have to, just because he was that kind of person. He also loved to tell stories and was gifted in his creativity, bringing smiles and laughter to many.
On April 18, 2010, Gary was united in marriage to Lynn (Canfield) Whittom at the United Methodist Church in Eagleville, MO. During Gary's recent hospitalization for cancer, his wife drove to-and-from Des Moines on a daily basis. One evening, all alone in the hospital's little chapel, Gary accepted Jesus Christ wholeheartedly as his Lord and Savior. The next day he was excited to take Lynn to the chapel and tell her all about how God had His hand on him. In the final days, he often mentioned how he thanked God and loved the sunrise, the sunset and the sound of rain.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Mary Dove (Wilcoxson) & Glen Shields; one brother, Richard Shields; two infant sisters and one nephew. He is survived by his wife, Lynn Shields of the home; son, Rick Shields of Des Moines, IA; step-children, Theresa "Tessie" Whittom, Tony Whittom, Tad Whittom, Tosha Manke; granddaughter, Andrea Dickson; step-grandchildren, Dawnie Whittom, Tyleah Whittom, Tyler Whittom, Tiffany Whittom, Gabriel Manke and Hannah Beggs; great grandson, Andre; as well as many other relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 27 at First Baptist Church in Lamoni, IA at 10:30 a.m. Doors will be open at 10:15 for seating. Friends and family are invited to attend. A fellowship meal will follow.
SOURCE: sladefuneralhome.com/webcast/24267
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2014
Decatur Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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