Grace Ann (Shoemaker) Foale passed away in Rolla, Mo. on December 3, 2020 at the age of 81. Grace was born on July 1, 1939 in Appleton City, Missouri. She was the fifth daughter born to Vance Earl Shoemaker and Grace Minerva (Swopes) Shoemaker.
She graduated from Osceola High School in 1957. She married Hershel O. “Bud” Foale in 1960. The two raised a family in the Damascus area between Osceola and Lowry City, Mo. Grace had two daughters and one stepdaughter.
Grace spent her life caring for others, first and foremost her family. Then, in later years she worked as an in-home aide caring for the elderly. She truly enjoyed going to church, gardening, study of St. Clair County history, and traveling. She took advantage of the opportunity to go on a couple of cruises in her later years. And, she was always ready for a game of bingo if anyone wanted to play. Her loving way and sense of humor will be deeply missed. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to all.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Bud; her parents, Vance and Grace; her four sisters, Earline Bigley of Joplin, Mo., Nadine Mitchell of Tulsa, Ok., Barbara Pursley of Bolivar, Mo., and Mildred Shoemaker of Appleton City, Mo., as well as a younger brother who died at birth, and a granddaughter, Susan Roark.
Grace will be greatly missed by surviving family members including her daughters, Edith and her husband Michael Starbuck of Rolla, Mo.; Connie and her husband Mike Beattie of Waynesville, Mo.; her step-daughter Shirley and her husband Junior Sisney of Gainesville, Mo.; nephew, DeeWayne and his wife Diana Bigley, and grandchildren, Clarissa Starbuck and her husband Kevin Funderburg, Megan Starbuck, Michael Beattie, Ethan Beattie, Jimmy and his wife Mary Lane, and Mark and his wife Nicole Lane.
Leave a Reply