Resting in the arms of Jesus, Charles H. “Buzzy” Shoemaker, passed away on the afternoon of Monday, August 12, 2019, at Novant Health UVA Hospital in Manassas, VA. He had recently suffered a fall that required surgery. He was then transferred to a rehab center where he died due to health complications. He was 74 years of age. He was preceded in death by his loving parents James “Jim” Robert Henry Shoemaker and Bessie Cordell Shoemaker. He was also preceded in death by his infant sister Barbara Leigh Shoemaker, brother Daniel K. “Danny” Shoemaker, brother James R. “Jimmy” Shoemaker Jr., and sister Linda Dean Shoemaker Pyer. He is survived by his loving sister Brenda Shoemaker Lynn of Manassas VA.
He also leaves behind four loving nieces—Pamela Donnelly of Los Angeles CA, Pattie Lowe of Manassas VA, Suzie Myers of Sterling VA, and Vicki Shoemaker Cloud of Nokesville VA—as well as one loving nephew, Timothy Shoemaker of Atlanta GA. Buzzy will be greatly missed by them and by all of his great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family with whom he stayed close his entire life, and numerous friends. He was one of a kind and dearly beloved by every life he touched.
He lived all his life in Brentsville VA, in the house where he was born and raised. He lived not far from the church he considered his home-away-from-home, Brentsville Presbyterian Church where he was a life long member. There, working with his beloved Pastor Ralph Benson, he was an active usher and frequent volunteer, as well as a member of the choir and had a great love of hymnal music.
A 1967 graduate of Osbourn High School, Buzzy went to work after graduation for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Transportation on the highway’s survey crew. In 1981 he was honored with a promotion to Survey Chainman. Near his retirement, he began working with VDOT’s highway sign crew. He retired in December of 1991 and celebrated 23 years of dedicated service to VDOT. He was a lifetime member of the Lake Jackson Volunteer Fire Department. Due to his association with the fire department, he enjoyed listening to his radio scanner which was always tuned to the fire and rescue frequencies during his waking hours.
Those who knew him best will always remember his kind heart, big bear hugs, and terrific sense of humor. No one loved to tell a joke or riddle more than Buzzy. When he smiled the world smiled with him.
Visitation will be held at Pierce Funeral Home at 9609 Center Street in Manassas, VA on Thursday, August 15th from 7pm to 9pm. The funeral service will be at Pierce Funeral Home on Friday, August 16th at 9:30am followed by interment at Valley View Cemetery, Nokesville, VA. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of flowers or memorial contributions to Brentsville Presbyterian Church, 12305 Bristow Road, Bristow, VA 20136 in memory of Buzzy Shoemaker.
