Cover photo for Jimmy Lee Shumate's Obituary
Jimmy Lee Shumate Profile Photo
1935 Jimmy 2017

Jimmy Lee Shumate

September 16, 1935 — June 29, 2017

Jimmy Lee Shumate, 81, of Oak Hill, WV, passed away on June 29, 2017 at Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley, WV, after a long illness.  He was born on September 16,1935 in Franklin, NC to the late Lee Russell and Anna Laura Bailey Shumate.
Jimmy grew up in the coal camp in Stotesbury, WV. He often enjoyed reminiscing about his coal camp days and had many wonderful stories to tell about it. He attended his first two years of high school at Mark Twain and then his family moved to Beckley, WV where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1952 at the tender age of 16!  After high school he went on to WVU to earn a degree in Mining Engineering. He started his career in Tralee, WV where he met the love of his life, Georgia Rhea Easterling. After years in the private sector, in 1971 he went to work with the Federal Bureau of Mines in Mt. Hope, WV and a few years later he went to the National Mine Academy in Beaver, WV where he worked until 2010 until the age of 75. He considered his colleagues at the Academy to be his second family and they were.
Jimmy married Georgia Rhea Easterling  on September 25, 1957 in Keyrock, WV. They were married by his great uncle, Rev. E.J. Hill and witnessed by his beloved grandparents, Lyndon and Myrtle Bailey. They were happily married for 49 years. Jimmy was a golfer as long as he was able, he enjoyed watching golf, the Cincinnati Reds, most any other sports program and especially WVU football and basketball! Jimmy and Georgia were also big supporters of Oak Hill High School basketball and football where they were members of the Athletic Boosters and the Band Boosters. He was an avid reader and often frequented the Oak Hill Public Library. He loved working puzzles, watching his favorite tv shows and keeping up with family and friends on Facebook. He opened his home to his children’s and granddaughter’s friends where he always made them feel welcomed and at home. They were all truly his children too.
In addition to his parents, Jimmy was preceded in death by his beautiful bride, Georgia Rhea Easterling Shumate on December 19, 2006 and his grandson, Larry Ray Sumpter III on May 1, 1994.
Jimmy is survived by daughters, Jennifer Bowling (David) and Michelle Sumpter, all of Oak Hill; his grandchildren, Matt Wallace of Charleston, WV, Cierra Sumpter and her fiancé Blade Goodman, Bailey Bowling, all of Oak Hill, WV, and his great grandson, Blade Lee Goodman to be born in December, several nephews and many dear cousins whom he remained close to throughout his life.
A funeral service will be held at Tyree Funeral Home, 999 Jones Avenue Oak Hill, WV 25901 at 2:00pm, Sunday July 2, 2017 with Connie Holly officiating. Visitation will be one hour preceding the service. Burial will follow at High Lawn Memorial Park,1435 East Main Street, Oak Hill, WV.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to OHHS/CHS Alumni Association , P.O. box 462, Oak Hill, WV 25901; Oak Hill Public Library, 611 Main Street, Oak Hill, WV 25901 or Bower’s Hospice House, 454 Cranberry Drive, Beckley, WV, 25801
Another way to honor Jimmy’s memory would be to always be kind and respectful to others which he always was.
Online condolences may be sent to www.tyreefuneral home.com
Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill, WV
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jimmy Lee Shumate, please visit our flower store.

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Sunday, July 2, 2017

1:00 - 2:00 pm (Eastern time)

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