Faye Brokaw Shearer of Galion was called to eternity Thursday, July 27, 2017, 21 days before her 102nd birthday.
She was born in Moorefield on Aug. 17, 1915, the youngest of four children of William Reese Brokaw and Alta Graham Brokaw, the sister of the late John Brokaw, Clara Brokaw Howell and Glenn Brokaw.
Faye was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church at Galion, the Daughters of the American Revolution, The Mayflower Society Cleveland Chapter, Senior Citizens and was pleased to share with everyone she was a distant cousin to Tom Brokaw, former NBC News anchor.
Faye Brokaw was united in marriage to Lyman Otis Shearer, Jan. 2, 1942. While “Shorty” served his county in World War II, she worked in Cadiz for a factory that produced machinery for the War. He preceded her in death in 1980. They had made their home in Cleveland, North Olmstead, Bucyrus, then Galion.
They were the parents of two sons, Paul and Gary.
Paul and his wife Sharon live in Bucyrus a short distance from Paul’s late Shearer grandparents’ farm and are the parents of Dr. Matthew (Gwen) Shearer of Virginia and Faith (Mike) Deasy of New Philadelphia.
Gary and his wife Diann of Galion are the parents of Jessica (Brett) Starner and Holly (James) Rossman of the Galion area.
Faye’s home was next door to Gary’s where she lived alone for many years after becoming a widow, was a wonderful seamstress, cook, loved her vegetable and flower gardens, was very artistic with many talents including crafts, painting and always kept in touch with her brothers and sister by phone, letters or visits. She resided for the past several years with Gary, Diann and their two daughters who filled her life with love, joy and a reason for living, just as Faye and her family had provided a wonderful life for her own mother, granny, who lived to age 97 ½ (The Grahams had longevity). She was the great grandmother of 10 and had numerous nieces and nephews and hosts of friends.
Calling hours were at Schneider-Gompf Funeral Home, Friday, with funeral services at Trinity Lutheran Church, both at Galion, with Pastor Ann Pairan officiating, Saturday, Burial followed at the Moorefield Cemetery in Moorefield.
(The Moorefield Meeting House was recorded June 29, 1816. That original Church was bough by Jesse Eugene Brokaw, (Father of Wm. Reese Brokaw, Grandfather of John, Clara, Gleen and Faye Brokaw) who planned to move it across the road form the Brokaw Farm which proved to be impossible so dismantled it piece by piece, hauling it away with his team of horses. He and many other men hauled the stone split from the big rocks at Belmont Ridge and hauled them with their horses and wagon to the present site of the Church which provided a firm foundation! The Booklet of The Moorefield United Methodist Church, 1883 to 1983, Centennial records the entire story.)