SAVANNAH, GEORGIA - John William "Billy" Shuman, 76, of Savannah, Georgia, husband of Linda Osteen Shuman, died Monday evening, August 1, 2011, at St. Joseph's Hospital.
Born in Savannah, Georgia, he was a son of the late John Lewis Shuman and the late Mildred Bunger Shuman. Billy retired from Rabey Electric Company after 43 years and was a member of the Electrical Workers Local Union 508. He served in the 118th Georgia National Guard unit. Billy was a member of the Forest City Gun Club, the Old Timers Softball Association, and was a member of Acacia Lodge 452 F & AM. He loved to shoot skeet and one year won the .410 State Championship. Billy was an avid hunter, fisherman, gardener and played softball well into his senior years. As a softball player, he played on several winning teams. Billy was selected all-world third baseman out of 115 teams during a tournament in Jones Beach, New York in 1963. He was the first player in Savannah to be inducted in the Savannah Softball Hall of Fame.
Surviving are his wife of 56 ½ years, Linda Osteen Shuman of Savannah, Georgia; one daughter, Terri van Pamelen and her husband, Lloyd, of Snellville, Georgia; two sons, Brian J. Shuman of Abita Springs, Louisiana, and Bruce J. Shuman of Savannah, Georgia; two grandchildren, Will van Pamelen and Madison Shuman; one brother, Gene Shuman and his wife, Shirley, of Newington, Georgia, and one sister, Linda Goolsby and her husband, Bill, of Springfield, Georgia.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 o'clock Thursday evening at Gamble Funeral Service - 410 Stephenson Avenue.
The funeral service will be held at 10 o'clock Friday morning in the chapel of Gamble Funeral Service conducted by The Reverend John R. Tran. Interment will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.