M. Lewis Shackelford Jr. Local Area Land Surveyor
M. Lewis Shackelford, Jr., 56, died at his home on Monday, 10 September 2007, with his wife and friend Craig Horton by his side. He endured a five and a half year battle with liver and bladder cancer.
Among his survivors are his wife Mrs. Delilah Starr Shackelford and his brother Gordon R. Shackelford of Hartwood. Lewis at eight years old started cutting firewood with his father. At the age of seventeen he worked with Allen Tayloe of Tayloe Surveys as a rodman. In less than a year he progressed to running his own crew, and then took over running the field department. Over the years he sub-contracted for B.D.E.T. & Design Build concepts. After working with other companies over the years his wife worked with and convinced him to take his state exam. Lewis and his wife worked side by side for over 18 years. Together they created the Creamy Cone Ice Cream Parlor in Prince William County. Later they started Starr Land Development & Home Builders.
Mr. Shackelford was one of the old time surveyors in Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties for over thirty eight years. You can go thru county records & see Lewis Shackelford's seal on thousands of plats. He was probably one of the most knowledgeable surveyors around.
His real passion in life, other than work, was bear and deer hunting. He traveled many places, always in search of a bigger buck. Each year Lewis and his wife would compete to see would get the biggest rack.
Pallbears will be; Craig Horton, Kevin Larkin, Keith Newport, Ted Dillard, John Moran and Allen Tayloe.
A viewing will be held at Laurel Hill Funeral Home, Route #3 west, on Saturday 15 September from 7:00 - 8:30PM. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, 16 September at 2:00 PM, at Laurel Hill Funeral Home, with entombment to follow. Andy Hicks of Stafford will officiate at the services.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like expressions of sympathy to go to "Association for the Support of Children with Cancer", P.O. Box 17184, Richmond, VA 23226. On-line condolences may be made at www.laurelhillfuneralhome.com.