Gray Shoaf

Hollis Gray Shoaf, 93, of Helmstetler Road, died Monday, Aug. 6, 2007, at Lexington Memorial Hospital. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church, where he was a member, by the Revs. Loreta Stutz and Jimmy Myers. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military graveside honors by Randolph honor guard. Mr. Shoaf was born in Davidson County on May 18, 1914, to Junious Harper Shoaf and Malinda Jane Snider Shoaf. He graduated from Reeds School in 1932. He served in the U.S. Navy as a cook aboard the LST 846 “Misbehaving” during World War II. He had been a member of Reeds American Legion Post #162 for 60 years. He had served as church treasurer for many years and was still an active member who attended regularly. He was a skilled carpenter and retired from Berrier Construction Company. He started Shoaf’s Orchard in 1968 along with his wife, Ruth and operated it for 30 years. He was a loving husband, wonderful stepfather and grandfather to his family. He was an inspiration to many and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Mr. Shoaf was preceded in death by his parents; seven brothers, Clarence, June, Harold, Paul, Irving, Tom and Henry; four sisters, Maie Shoaf, Nellie Alexander, Arlene McMahan and Evelyn Craver. Surviving are his wife, Ruth Swicegood Shoaf, of the home, who he married on Dec. 9, 1954; a stepson, Reginald Leonard and wife, Patsy, of Lexington; two granddaughters, Sherri Smith and husband, Michael, and Kathy Rummage and husband, Shannon, all of Lexington; two great-grandchildren, Deanna Sawtelle and Kyle Rummage, both of Lexington; and one brother, Howard Shoaf of Prescott, Az. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Davidson Funeral Home and other times at the home. Memorials may be made to Mt. Carmel United Methodist