William Mansel Shumaker, age 96,went to be with his Savior Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at Skelton Personal Care Center where he had been a resident for the past 7yrs. He was born Apr. 11, 1928 on a three mule farm on Big Bywy near Reform, MS. He was the fifth, and now seventh, generation of Shumakers to live there. He graduated from Reform High School in 1946. He married Allene Maddox Dec. 16, 1949.They were married for 46 yrs before she succumbed to cancer in 1995. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and spent one tour in Korea then returned state side to Altus AFB, OK for the remainder of his hitch and discharged in 1955. He was a natural born mechanic and had been working on cars since 1947. After the service he worked at various car dealerships in MS and in 1958 he began work for Taylor Pontiac-Cadillac in Louisville, MS. He established Red’s Motor Service in 1968 in Ackerman, MS and retired in 1993. Besides a mechanic he was an avid quail hunter. He spend thirty years hunting with his life long friend Gerald Gammill and several generations of lemon pointer bird dogs. He was a life long active member at Antioch Community Church. Mansel was a very kind, humble and meek person and always willing to give you a hand up. Mansel loved singing and playing bluegrass and gospel music. He played several instruments, guitar, mandolin, auto harp and Dobro.
Every Sunday afternoon was spent with friends and family picking and singing on his back porch. Upon retirement in 1993 he made this statement,” I don’t know if mechanics are like solders or not. But I think of a saying of my favorite general, Douglas MacArthur, “Old soldiers never die. They just slowly fade away”
Mansel was preceded in death by his parents Roger and Nina Shumaker, wife, Allene Maddox Shumaker, sister, Helen Maurice Ray (J.C,), brother, Maurice Shumaker, one great-granddaughter, Maddox J. Reeves. He is survived by a daughter, Teresa (Charles) McMinn, Ackerman, MS, and son Bill (Teresa) Shumaker, Ackerman, MS., Four grandchildren, Brian (Miranda) McMinn, Neal (Kayla) McMinn, Jamie (Clint) McHan, Hannah Raney and six great grandchildren, Austin Ulmer, Will McMinn, Kaylee McMinn, Mackenzie Reeves, Maebry Reeves and Paxton McHan.
The funeral services for William Mansel Shumaker will be Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. Visitation at 2:00 PM, Funeral at 3:00 PM at Antioch Community Church 3641 Reform-Sturgis Rd. Reform, MS. Bro. Bill Hutto officiating. Brian McMinn, Neal McMinn, Clint McHan, Wesley Gammill, Lavon Jones, Ranny Jones, Rodney Gammill and Scotty McKnight pall bearers.