Rodney L. Shewmaker

Rodney L. ""Rod"" Shewmaker, 88, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, February 13, 2010 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Shewmaker was born Dec. 16, 1921 in Tyner, Ind. Mr. Shewmaker was a retired engineer. In the late 1950's he joined Sverdrup & Parsel Engineering in St. Louis and oversaw engineering design and build projects worldwide; most noteably and nearest home was the St. Louis Arch, Busch Stadium and the Taum Sauk Resevoir in Arcadia, Mo. In 1970 he and four partners from Sverdrup formed Lemco Engineering where he served as Vice President of Engineering Operations until he retired in the early 1980s and returning to Poplar Bluff. He came out of retirement in 2000 and worked locally as a consulting engineer for Schultz and Summers Engineering Services until July, 2008. He served as an officer for the Right of Way Engineering Association and was a guest lecturer at Purdue University.

Mr. Shewmaker served in the Navy during WWII and was an active member of Memorial Baptist Church where he taught a Sunday school class and ministered to prisoners. He enjoyed fishing, yard work and gardening.

In 1948 he was married to Rose Shewmaker and she preceded him in death in 1994. On Sept. 17, 1996 he married Lee Ferguson in Corning, Ark. and she survives.

Also surviving is one daughter Susan Scott and husband William Edward of St. Louis; three stepchildren, Jeff Ferguson and wife Heather of Wheatland, Wyoming, Jon Ferguson and wife Kristin of Big Sandy, Tex., and Melissa McGee and husband John of Pritchett, Tex.; a daughter-in-law, Martha Shewmaker of Cadillac, Michigan; two grandchildren, Miya Merkel and husband Paul and Christine Ramsdell and husband Ross; four great grandchildren, Candace Ramsdell, Darby Ramsdell, Zoe Rose Merkel and Derek Paul Merkel; and 18 step grandchildren. Three brothers also survive, Todd Klingerman and wife Milly, Kenneth Klingerman and wife Mary Rose and Wendel Klingerman all of Carmel, Ind.

Preceding Mr. Shewmaker in death were his parents, Otis P. and Ada Shewmaker, one son, Peter John Shewmaker, one step-son, Tom Ferguson, a brother George Shewmaker and a sister Belva Lundy.

Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, 2010 at Cotrell Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Dennis Ward officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery.