Clyde Dee Shamhart

Clyde Dee Shamhart, 77, of Beecher City, Illinois passed away at 2:51 p.m. on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at St. Anthony Hospital, Effingham, Illinois.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 19th, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Pagel Funeral Home in Edgewood, Illinois with a one hour viewing prior to service.  Pastor Jim Giffin officiating.  Burial will be in the Mason Cemetery in Mason, Illinois. Military rites will be observed. Visitation will be held Tuesday September 18th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Pagel Funeral Home, Edgewood, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Clyde’s name to the Effingham VFW or the Effingham American Legion.  

Clyde was born November 17, 1940 to Perry R. and Gerlene B. (Lewis) Shamhart in Latona, Illinois.  He married Evelyn Lynn Krantz on February 20, 1965 at the Old Christian Church in Edgewood, Illinois.  Clyde entered service in the Army in November of 1959.  He did his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood.  Clyde then shipped to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he did artillery training.  He was next stationed in Butzbach, Germany at Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Field Artillery, 2nd Howitzer Battalion.  Clyde was part of a survey team that surveyed the coordinates for the 105 Howitzers (self-propelled).  He also spent time as a Jeep driver for officers. Clyde served in Germany from March of 1960 until November of 1962.  While in Germany he met Elvis Presley in March of 1960 as Presley was leaving Germany and Clyde had just arrived there.  Later he would also witness the building of the Berlin wall.  In November of 1962, Clyde flew to New York City where he separated from the Army. He flew into the St. Louis and took a bus back to Effingham County.  Clyde was a lifetime member of the Effingham VFW and the Effingham American Legion.  Clyde went to work for Caterpillar in Joliet and later worked in the oil fields, helping build Interstate 57, worked at Norge/Fedders managed the VFW and worked at Petty’s.

He is survived by two daughters, Deana Hardiek (husband Bill) of Iola, Illinois, Evelyn Nicole “Nikki” Smith (husband Tommy) of Cowden, Illinois; one brother, Lester “Bud” Shamhart (wife Delores) of Latona, Illinois; two sisters, Shirley Allen (husband Ron) of Mason, Illinois and Kathy Haun (husband Pat) of  Altamont, Illinois; seven grandchildren; one great grandchild and two on the way.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Lynn Shamhart; one son, James Perry Shamhart; three brothers, Berl Shamhart, Merl Shamhart, and Dan Shamhart and one sister, Vickie Shamhart.

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