Obituary: Mary Ann Dickerson Shoemaker, 86, formerly of New Haven
Mary Ann Dickerson Shoemaker, 86, of Virginia, formerly of New Haven, died Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, at the age of 86. She was born in Bardstown on Sept. 8, 1937, and was the oldest of eight children.
She graduated from St. Catherine’s Catholic High School in New Haven and then attended St Joseph Nursing School in Louisville, graduating as an RN. On June 11, 1960, she married Hugh Shoemaker and began the life of a Navy wife. Over the course of 20-plus years, they lived in Florida, Maryland, Scotland, Virginia, California and Rhode Island. She enjoyed the travel and experiences that the Navy provided her family, most notably their their years in Scotland.
She worked as a head nurse while in Florida and an operating room nurse for many years in both Rhode Island and Virginia. She was a very skilled seamstress and embroiderer. In addition to clothes for herself, she made numerous dresses, vests, and Halloween costumes for her grandchildren.
A life long history lover, Mary Ann became active in the Fairfax County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a regular docent at the DAR Museum in Washington, D.C., donated numerous books of Nelson County to the National DAR Library and put together a book of her ancestry which she also donated to the DAR library. She and her husband traveled extensively in their later years with many cruises and tours of Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, the Panama Canal and China.
Her family thanks the caring staff at Brightview Woodburn in Annandale, VA along with VITAS Hospice for their devoted care of Mary Ann.
She was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 63 years, Hugh Shoemaker; and a much-loved daughter, Jenifer Shoemaker.
She is survived by one daughter, Ann Mahoney (Kevin); two sons, Mike Shoemaker and Tim Shoemaker (Sarah); seven siblings; and two grandchildren, Theresa Mahoney and Mitch Mahoney.
The funeral is 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, at the Joseph L. Greenwell Funeral Home in New Haven with burial in St. Catherine Cemetery.
Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, 2023, and 8-10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, at the funeral home.
The Joseph L. Greenwell Funeral Home in New Haven is in charge of arrangements.
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