John Shanks

John Shanks August 9, 1924 - April 14, 2015 John Shanks, age 90, of Bloomfield, Missouri, went home to be with his Lord, April 12, 2015. Mr. Shanks celebration of life and funeral service will be Thursday morning, April 16, 2015, at 11 a.m., at the First Baptist Church of Bloomfield. His family will receive friends at the church at 9:00 a.m., until service time. Rev. Jim Matthews will officiate with Rev. Jerry Darby assisting. Burial will follow at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri. Mr. Shanks was a World War II veteran and served under General Patton's 3rd Army. He married his love of over 69 years, Connie Fesmire, on December 22, 1945, in Blytheville, Arkansas. Mr. Shanks retired from SEMO Electric as a lineman. He was a longtime faithful and active member of the First Baptist Church in Bloomfield. He was an active member of the American Legion in Bloomfield. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and gardening. His grandchildren affectionately called him Papaw while his great grandchildren lovingly called him Old Papaw. His life was his family and he always had the time to teach them to fish. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Maudie Jane Page Shanks; three sisters, Catherine Boswell, Billie Whittle, and Marray Jo Rakestraw of Sikeston, Missouri. John is survived by his wife, Connie Shanks of Bloomfield; a daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and Tony Burdine of Bloomfiled; a son and daughter-in-law, John and Mary Shanks of San Antonio, Texas; six grandchildren, Anthony Shanks of Akron, Ohio, Beth Bradford of Flower Mound, Texas, Shelley Prevost of Chattanooga, Tennessee, T.J. Burdine of Franklin, Tennessee, John Jeffery Shanks of San Antonio, Texas, and Mary Jane Shanks of San Antonio, Texas; thirteen great grandchildren; one brother, Charles "Chick" Shanks of Sikeston, Missouri; and one sister, Wanda Ford of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Many other relatives and friends also survive. The Shanks family would like to thank the staff of 4 Oaks Hospice of Dexter, his doctor, Dr. Joyce Reed and her nurse Kay for all the loving care shown to their father, and also to Watkins & Sons Funeral Service Staff in Dexter for all of their loving kindness. Pallbearers will be Mr. Shanks' grandchildren. Expressions of sympathy may also be made in loving memory of John Shanks to First Baptist Church of Bloomfield.