Editor's note: Our heritage creates our present and guides us toward the future. We're honored that Whitney Newman chose to share with us this tribute to her grandfather, Theron Shoemaker. A devoted family man, Theron's strong character was the foundation of his family, but the importance of his history doesn't end with his family. His influence extends to the community as well. Long after he retired from a career at Adams Rural Electric Cooperative, Theron stayed involved in the cooperative and the community and helped to shape the community we know and love today.
I’d like to tell you about my grandad and his remarkable life. There are simply not enough words to explain just how grand he was, but I’ll do my best. This is just a brief summary, a peek into his journey here on earth. I couldn’t begin to explain him in every detail unless I was to write a novel, which he would certainly deserve. He was a Christian man with great faith, serving on mission trips around the world after his retirement. He was a tremendous family man who put so much effort into making every member feel important. He loved his family, his career, his community, his church, and anyone who sat down to chat for a minute. His love was unending and unconditional.
In July 1928, Theron Shoemaker was born in a quiet rural area located outside of Peebles, Ohio, called Lawshe. There he grew up a humble little country boy who helped raise the dinner that fed the family. He walked a mile one way to a one-room school every day until he reached ninth grade and began attending Peebles High School.
The summer before he started high school, he laid eyes on a young woman named Evelyn, a story he loved to share. He first saw her near the creek with her sisters, walking up the road. Evelyn won’t recall seeing him that day. He caught her attention the first day of ninth grade. The two dated through high school and continued a long-distance relationship as Evelyn left to find work in Dayton and Theron remained in Peebles.
After high school, Theron began working on the railroad in Peebles, where he would work for two years. In 1948, he moved in with his cousin and life-long friend, Gerald Shoemaker, to work for Adams Rural Electric.
For two years, Theron drove every weekend to pick Evelyn up from Dayton. He would pick her up on Friday and drive her back on Sunday. In the meantime, they exchanged letters through the week to remain in touch. In 1950, they decided to marry. In 1954, the pair welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Valerie. Two years later, they welcomed their second and last child, Phillip Ray.
Theron always dreamed of owning his own farm, and one day in 1963, that dream came to fruition. He bought a farm and spent his evenings fixing up the farm house.
After 43 years of service to Adams Rural Electric in 1991, Theron retired. He never would have imagined he would live to enjoy retirement for 29 years.
Theron and Evelyn attended every company holiday party, every co-op meeting, and every company picnic. They still attended company gatherings at the age of 92, until 2020, when COVID-19 disrupted their ability to participate in social functions.
Theron believed in showing support and showing up. The couple continued to shower many in support at different functions, from company meetings, school graduations, sporting events, grandchildren's births, and great-grandchildren's births, church, weddings, birthdays ... the list goes on. They loved everyone and everyone loved them.
In his time at Adams REC, Theron gained many relationships. He trained countless men at REC, and some who have now reached their retirement age still speak about their time at work with Theron.
Those workers thought a lot of him and his amazing work ethic. He trained them the way he worked. They respected him for that. He wore the Adams REC patches proudly. He had an old tattered blue jean jacket with the company patch on the breast pocket that he wore every single day. And the company hats — he wore an Adams REC hat proudly, no matter how worn it became. He even collected them.
The family threw Theron a 90th birthday celebration where he was happily surrounded by his work family among his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Several old coworkers reminisced about "the good ole days." One was surprised to see himself in the slideshow, realizing the lasting impact of having such a bond with the Adams REC family.
Theron was a pillar to his working community as well as his family. He was one of a kind who went out of his way for his neighbor, gave to those in need, loved his family, and never lost his faith.
Two months after celebrating his 70th wedding anniversary to his wife Evelyn, Theron passed away. He left behind his loving wife; two children Valerie (Richard) Swayne and Phillip (Carma) Shoemaker; his four grandchildren, Deborah Swayne, Kara (Swayne) Shearer, Benjamin (Krystal) Shoemaker, Whitney (Wes) Newman; and seven great-grandchildren.
I hope this peek into Grandad’s life made you smile the way that he made so many in his life smile. There’s so much more to his story, but it’s impossible to write it all down. He left a lasting impression on so many, and they each left one on him. What’s ironic about Grandad is his big heart. He was strong and unwavering, and he wore his heart on his sleeve. While his heart was grand, it was actually very weak. His heart only functioned at 10% in the last four years of his life. As if he’s shared a piece of it with each and every person he encountered in his 92 years. His strong spirit allowed me more time with him, time that I cherish more each and every day. His strong heart allows me to see him in so many of the people he’s crossed paths with in his time here on earth. I see his resilience in my dad, Phillip Ray; I see his work ethic in my husband, Wes; and I see his sweet smile in my son, Walker.
