Mildred Odelle (Fletcher) Shoemaker, 92 of Winchester, VA passed away peacefully, surrounded by her beautiful family on Monday, January 10, 2022 at Blue Ridge Hospice Inpatient Care Center.

Millie was born in 1929 on a farm Gore, VA to the late Loring Elwood and Annie Elizabeth Fletcher. Millie lived on a farm on Blufflick Rd and moved to Cameron St. She married James and became a military wife for 17 years. Mom had her first child, James, Jr. at Winchester Memorial Hospital and then moved to Hawaii for 11 months, where Sharon Elizabeth was born, while James, Sr. was stationed there. James, Sr. was then sent to Korea in 1951 and mom stayed with her parents on Cameron St. After Korea, James, Sr was sent to Fort Benning, GA where she gave birth to Robert. The family then moved to Kingsport, TN and then to Panama form 1955 to 1957. They then moved to Fort Myers, VA where Steven was born. James was then sent to Vietnam for a year, while there, Millie and the children came home and stayed at their home on Jackson Ave.  After returning from Vietnam, James was employed at Lafayette Military College as an instructor until his retirement. Mom was a stay at home mother; it was then that their last child Debra Lynne was born. James was a Frederick County Deputy until his untimely death in May 1966. Mom was left being a single parent to five children ranging in age from 6 months to 16 years of age.  She was a member of Montaque Ave Methodist Church. Millie was a member of the Winchester Eagles and Winchester Moose Lodge because of her love of dancing, she loved gardening and working in her yard. Millie also loved her animals and going to her cabin on Capon River. Millie never wavered, she always made sure her children were taken care of and loved. Mom was her children’s rock, their go to person and there world. The world was a better place because of our mom, Millie, she will be truly missed by those who knew her.

She married James Ward Shoemaker in 1948 and he preceded her in death on May 23, 1966.

Millie is survived by her daughters; Sharon Garber (Scott) of Winchester, VA and Debra White (Eddie) of Winchester, VA; sons, James Ward Shoemaker, Jr. (Yvonne) of Stephens City, VA, Robert Elwood Shoemaker of Yellow Springs, WV and Steven Lee Shoemaker of Yellow Springs, WV; grandchildren, Kate Ward (Mike), Megan Shoemaker, Jeffery Garber, Christopher Garber (Sandra), Stephanie Garber (Dustin), Matthew Garber, Taylor Coumes (Joshua) and Zachary White (Amelia); great grandchildren, Catherine Sheckles (Kris), Ashley Garber, Lauren Garber, Jaxon Shelley, Lillian Coumes, Charlotte Coumes, Cameron Ward, Thomas Ward and Emma Ward.

She is preceded in death by her husband, parents; sisters, Beatrice Fletcher and Betty Kerns; brother, Orville Lee “Hobby” Alabaugh.

A visitation will be Sunday, January 23, 2022 from 6pm to 8pm with a service on Monday, January 24 at 1pm, all held at Omps Funeral Home, South Chapel. Interment will be in Shenandoah Memorial Park. Officiating will be Scott Garber and Pastor Keith Ritchie.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork St, Winchester, VA 22601; Alzheimer’s Association – National Capital Area Chapter, 8180 Greensboro Dr., McLean, VA 22102 or Esther Boyd Animal Shelter, 161 Fort Collier Rd, Winchester, VA 22603.