Neva Irene (Stites) Shoemaker

Neva Irene (Stites) Shoemaker was born on August 19, 1928 on a farm northwest of Ionia, Kansas and passed away on October 13, 2022. Her parents were George Oscar and Helen Allene (Clark) Stites. She grew up on the farm where she was born and attended the first two years of grade school at the Livers Country School. Neva finished grade school and high school in Ionia, graduating from Ionia Rural High School in 1946.

Neva married Harold Elwood Shoemaker on August 25, 1946 at the Methodist Parsonage in Beloit, Kansas. The first six years of their marriage was spent living on a farm north of Glen Elder, Kansas near the Jewell-Mitchell County line. In February of 1952, they moved to their farm northwest of Ionia, Kansas. Soon after, on April 2, 1952, their first child, Curtis Lin was born. Their second child, Susan Elaine, was born on February 24, 1957. Harold and Neva were married for 71 years before Harold passed away on January 16, 2018.

She was baptized and became a member of the Ionia E.U.B. Church, which later became the Ionia United Methodist Church. She was faithful in attendance and an active member holding many church offices.

Neva loved animals, especially horses, and as a child spent many days riding, a hobby that lasted all her life. She was a member of several different saddle clubs and participated in many horse shows and trail rides. Neva played the guitar and sang and loved country music. Neva was a great cook and enjoyed cooking for her family. She also enjoyed travelling and camping. Her children and grandchildren were always the center of her busy life on the farm. Life on the farm was precious to her, and she never had thoughts of living somewhere else.

Neva is survived by her son Curt Shoemaker and wife Maureen, Ionia; daughter Susan Shea and husband Patrick, Lawrence; grandchildren, Brad Engelbert and wife Pam, Corvallis, OR; Danelle Perry and husband Daniel, Manhattan; Travis Engelbert and wife Erica, Boulder, CO; Vanessa Engelbert, Boulder, CO; and great-grandchildren, Noah, Lauren, Asher, and Rainier.

Visitation will be Sunday October 16, 2022 from 5:30pm – 7:00pm at Kleppinger Funeral Home, Jewell, KS.

The casket will remain closed.

Graveside services will be Monday October 17, 2022 at 11:00am at the Ionia Cemetery, Ionia, KS.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Solomon Valley Hospice or the Equus Foundation (Horse welfare and rehoming foundation) in care of the funeral home.

For online condolences, please visit nuttermortuary.com.

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