Grady James Shropshire

Grady James Shropshire, of Groesbeck, passed away Saturday, September 1, 2012, at the Limestone Medical Center. He was 81. Visitation will be Monday, September 3, 2012,from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M., at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, September 4, 2012, at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Joe Tucker officiating. Burial will follow in Big Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Vincent, Jason Vincent, Greg Shropshire, Kyle Shropshire, Pete Emin, and James Earl Matchett. Grady was born September 24, 1930 to Jesse Fate Shropshire and Mamie Mae (Overstreet) Shropshire at Allen Farm, Bryan. He was the youngest child with seven older siblings so the family spoiled him. He was raised on a farm where the family had to be self-sufficient, which was a practice he lived by the rest of his life. Grady was united in marriage with Iliene LaRee Catron on October 7, 1950 in Houston, TX. He was a welder for many years in Houston, working at Texas Metal. The family moved back and forth between Houston and northern Arkansas some years. In 1977, Grady and Iliene moved to Groesbeck, where he farmed and ranched the rest of his life. He always raised cows and chickens and a garden, even in Houston, as well as on the Shropshire Road ranch. He especially loved his horses. Grady was a “jack-of-all-trades” and he loved “horse-trading”, all kinds of animals and birds, from deer to cows, horses, chickens, and emus. The family provided home care for many disabled veterans from 1977 through 2004. Grady was a very active member of the Assembly of God Church in Thornton, and loved attending worship services as long as his health permitted. Grady had resided in the Groesbeck LTC Nursing Center the last few years of his life. Mr. Shropshire was preceded in death by his parents; all of his brothers and sisters, Rosco Edgar Shropshire, Gladys Marie Guhrie, Verna Sevira Baker, Floyd Edward Shropshire, Jessie Joyce "Jay" Lancon, Thomas George "Cornelious" Shropshire, and Vera Margaret "Cricket" Rylee; and 1 grandchild, Tony Monroe Shropshire. He is survived by his wife, Iliene Shropshire of Groesbeck; son and daughter-in-law, Grady Dwane and Janet Shropshire of Groesbeck; son and daughter-in-law, Robert James "Bobby" and Cynthia Shropshire of Bellmead; and daughter and son-in-law, Deborah Iliene and John Andrew Vincent of Groesbeck; nine grandchildren and their spouses: Greg Daniel and Rebecca Shropshire, Kyle Andrew and Lisa Shropshire, Whitney Nicole and Joshua Smith, Robert James "RJ" Shropshire, Jr, James Andrew and Eva Christine Vincent, Jason Anthony and Kaytee Brown Vincent, Misty Deanna and Patrick Van Samuels, Sabrina Dawn and Randy James Slater, and Jessica Lee and Ricky Nelson; sixteen great grandchildren: Griffin Shropshire, Conner Shropshire, Paxton Shropshire, Hunter Vincent, Emily Vincent, Gage Vincent, Braden Ramirez, Rainy Samuels, Cassie Samuels, Catlin Samuels, Rian Samuels, Aubrey White, Hannah Slater, Kimber Slater, Preston Ellis, and Shane Ellis; and 1 great-great grandchild, Easton Samuels.