JW Shields

JW Shields, from Thornton, TX, went to his heavenly home, at age 89, on August 1, 2018.  He headed that way in his peaceful sleep, going home to be with Jesus, his wife Leovys, his daughter Deretha, and many other family and friends. Visitation will be Saturday, August 4, 2018, from 6:00-8:00 P.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, August 5, 2018, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Bill Sutton officiating, and Chaplain Jon Honea of Limestone Medical Center, and his brother, Jerry Don Shields speaking.  Burial will follow in Seale-Round Prairie Cemetery. Pallbearers will be John Tyler Blau, Lee Blau, JB Watkins, Clayton Belinoski, Brandon Riley, Michael Price, Dennis Cole, and Carry Crump.  Honorary pallbearers will be Gary Thomas Davis, Danny Joe Shields, and Don Batchelor. JW was a very simple man, he did not put on airs, nor did he have to have the best of anything.  In his eyes, he thought he could fix and make anything work, and it did; might not have been safe, but it worked, and it could be guaranteed it didn’t cost him much.   He was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it and would give what he had to help anyone.   He loved family and is cherished by his grandkids and great grandkids.  He was Pawpaw and Uncle Jay to so many  and he loved each and everyone of them with all his heart.   But more than that was the fact that JW loved and knew Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  He was not afraid to tell anyone about Christ and what He had done for him.  He will be missed in this life, but now he has entered into his eternal life with his Savior and is at peace forever. JW was born on December 7, 1928 to Alton and Essie Shields in a small community called Delia.   He was born 3 months early and in the winter time which made it a hard struggle for him to survive, but the Lord had a purpose for his life.   He attended school in Coolidge and Mexia. He was the big brother to two brothers and two sisters whom he loved with all his heart. JW at a young age entered the military and was Private First Class of the United States Army.  He was a Scout in the Korean war.   After an honorable discharge, JW returned home to marry the love of his life, Leovys Turner, whom he had met on a blind date, thanks to his brother Troy. JW and Leovys were married  on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1953.  After traveling with work for a few years, JW and Leovys made their home in Houston, Texas.  There they had three children, Stephen, Deretha, and CeLinda. Wanting to return to a little bit of the country life, he moved his family to Spring, TX.  There they lived until 1983 at which time he retired from Petro-Tex Chemical Plant, in Pasadena, where he was a foreman for many years.  He then returned to the county where he and Leovys were originally from and became a small farmer and cattle owner.  He enjoyed so much of this kind of life for which he had worked and waited for so many years. JW was a member of the Oletha Baptist Church.  He also was a member of the Masonic Lodge for 61 years. He is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Leovys (Turner) Shields; a daughter, Deretha Marlene Welch, his parents, Alton and Essie (Lewis) Shields, a brother, Troy C. Shields, and a sister, Mildred (Shields) Davis. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Matthew Stephen and Rose Shields of Magnolia, TX; daughter and son-in-law, CeLinda and Greg Sackett of Chouteau, OK; and son-in-law, Ricky Welch of Thornton, TX.   He has eight grandchildren, Leslie Welch, Chase Sackett, Justin Welch and wife Hayley, Seth Shields, Kayla Garcie and husband Samuel, Shelby Amick and husband Chase, Zachary Shields, and Layne Sackett; and 6 great grandchildren: Breanna Welch, Brody Garcie, Pasleigh Garcie, Shiloh Wingo, Harryson Welch, Khloee Garcie, and 3 more precious gifts coming soon.  Also, his brother and sister-in-law, Jerry Don and Helen Shields of Groesbeck and sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Don Batchelor of Houston, and many nieces and nephews and other extended family. The family would like to thank the kind people of Interim Hospice and Skilled Care of Mexia for their wonderful care and services to their father, JW and their mother, Leovys.  Words cannot express how much they all have blessed the lives of JW and Leovys and their family by giving them the best care possible. Also, thank you to family and friends who have sent flowers, kind wonderful words of encouragement and prayers for the family.   May God Bless you all.