Obituary of Shirley Ann Reese Shumate

Shirley Ann Reese Shumate, 88, of Gallatin, Tenn. passed on November 5, 2021. She had been a resident of Sumner County, Tennessee, for over 57 years. Shirley was born June 10, 1933, in Fort Smith, Ark, to Hilda Florene Reese and Charlene Reese. In 2013, she was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Fred G. Shumate, and in 2012, by her younger sister, Margaret Jo Proctor (Little Rock, Ark.). She is the loving mother of 2 daughters, Stephanie D. Shumate (Gallatin) and Deborah Shumate Jones (Flippin, Ark.), and a granddaughter, Victoria Ann Jones (Nashville, Tenn.). Also, Shirley is survived by 3 sisters, Judith Lynn Titsworth, Candi Sue Russell and Becky Jeffers, all of Arkansas, along with 6 nephews and 2 nieces. Shirley started her career as a payroll specialist at Hick’s Furniture Company, then as a civilian contractor at Fort Chaffee, both in Fort Smith. In 1964, she and her husband, Fred, moved to Hendersonville, Tenn., where he started his 19-year career at Genesco and she worked at Stewart Army Base and later for the Social Security Administration in Nashville. In 1972, they opened Shumate’s Naturalizer in Rivergate Mall in Goodlettsville, Tenn., the first concept store in Tennessee. Shortly thereafter, they opened two more stores in Nashville: Shumate’s Naturalizer on Capital Boulevard and Church Street, and Freddie’s Footwear in Lion’s Head Village Mall. Eventually, a fourth store, Brown Shoes, was acquired on The Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Shirley dutifully served as bookkeeper, payroll manager and purchasing agent. After retiring from the shoe business in 1994, Shirley kept herself busy selling handbags at flea markets in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia. Shirley pursued many other adventures in her long life. She enjoyed tending to the tobacco, corn and hay crops on her farm. Often, she traveled throughout the United States to quarter horse shows with her younger daughter, Stephanie; those who knew her from these shows fondly referred to her as “Mom.” Additionally, she was a member of Hendersonville order of Eastern Star, and also served as Mother Advisor of the Hendersonville order of the Rainbow for girls Assembly #3. Funeral Service will be Monday, November 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the chapel of Family Heritage Funeral Home. Visitation will be Monday, November 8th from 4:00 p.m. until time of service at 6:00 p.m. Interment will be Tuesday, November 9th at 11:00 a.m. at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. The family would appreciate memorials to be sent to the Rehoboth United Methodist Church, 2601 Cages Bend Road, Gallatin, Tenn. 37066.