Delmar Shoemaker

Delmar Clair Shoemaker, 89, was born Feb. 8, 1935, on a farm in Jewell County, one of five children born to John and Merle Dean Shoemaker. He died Saturday at Mitchell County Residential Care Center.

 Delmar attended Center Rural and Glen Elder Grade School and graduated from Glen Elder High School in 1953. While in high school, he excelled in sports and his love of horses led him to participate in local rodeos and horse shows even winning state competition a few times with his brother Harold and brother-in-law Bob Glauser.  He also liked to hunt and fish and passed this interest on to his children and grandchildren.   

Following his high school graduation, he worked for Arnold Rose at Rose Pork, Snow River Ranch in Deer Trail, Colorado, with Sunny and Bub Keen, Dwight and Roy Timbers training race horses, and was working on a ranch for Ronald Mason in Nowata, Oklahoma training cutting and race horses when he received his draft notice.   

Delmar was drafted into the Army in 1957 and received his basic training at Fort Chaffey, Arkansas. He was then stationed at Camp Roberts and Fort Ord Army Base, California.  It was here, he met the love of his life, Eleanor Martin. They were married on Oct. 11, 1959, at the St. Angeles Church in Pacific Grove, California, and moved to a farm north of Glen Elder. To this union two children were born, Dennis and Julie. They were privileged to spend 50 years together. 

Delmar and Eleanor began their married life farming, raising cattle, hogs and registered quarter horses.  In 1964 Delmar attended auction school in Mason City, Iowa.  His first auction was at the Waconda Springs Sanitarium for the Carlos Bingesser family prior to the construction of Waconda Lake.  He went on to have numerous farm, real estate, estate and benefit auctions in the area. A most memorable one was the Ernie Norris four-day antique auction in Glen Elder which brought in buyers from 28 states. Delmar developed a friendship with James Reiter and joined the Reiter Land Co. in 1970. He enjoyed many years in the real estate business.  In 1975 Delmar acquired the Beloit Livestock Auction. He then formed a partnership with Bob Isaac and Vail McClintock to own and operate Beloit and Mankato Livestock. 

Delmar enjoyed serving his community and served on the Mitchell County Fair Board for 40+ years where he announced rodeos, demolition derbies and conducted the 4-H auction. He conducted many benefit auctions and announced many parades in the area.  He also announced many Glen Elder Bearcat and Waconda East football games. He served on the Traders State and Farmers State Bank boards of directors.  He was a member of the American Legion Post 143, a member of the American Quarter Horse Association since 1960, and served as president of Glen Elder Chamber of Commerce.   

Delmar loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He always made time to attend their school activities and sporting events. 

Survivors include his dear friend, Marilyn Huffman; sister, Judy Weber, Troy, Kansas; his son, Dennis, and wife, Glenda, Glen Elder; daughter, Julie Cole, and Renesme, Smith Center; grandsons, Clint and wife, Mallory, Connor and wife, Stacy, Drew Dawson and wife, Meghan, Tory Weeks and granddaughter, Rilee Taylor and husband Gavin;  14 great-grandchildren, Colt, Emma, Bennett, Lucas, Grant, Jace, Kenslee, Jett, Lenox, Theo, Brynlee, Stella, Sterling and Grace.  And a host of nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his wife. Eleanor, his parents .John and Merle Shoemaker; father and mother-in-law, Sam and Frances Martin; one brother, Harold; and two sisters, Opal and Virginia.

His funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, at the Roberts Family Funeral Home followed by burial in Glenwood Cemetery at Glen Elder. Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. today (Thursday) with family present from 5 to 7 p,m. at the funeral home. Per his wishes, the casket will remain closed.