Alan Hastings Shumate

Services for Alan Hastings Shumate, 72, of Tyler, will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Rev. Wes Bynum officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Shumate passed away Saturday, November 1, 2014 in Tyler. He was born October 21, 1942 in Dallas to Clarence W. and Ruby Fae Timberlake Shumate. His family moved to the Houston area in 1943. Alan contracted polio in the spring of 1945, with 6 months of hospitalization and a lifetime of effects. He graduated Galena Park High School in 1961 as a class officer and honor student. Alan then graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1965 with a degree in Speech Communication and in 1973 from Stephen F. Austin State University with a MEd in Educational Supervision. Alan was a member of the First Baptist Church in Tyler. Mr. Shumate taught at Robert E. Lee High School from 1965 to 1996, spending 31 years as a public speaking teacher, 25 years as Lee’s debate coach and 17 years as the Student Senate sponsor. Alan enjoyed traveling, visiting all 50 U.S. states, 40 plus foreign countries and his antique buying trips. He loved football, specifically High school football and basketball. He announced REL basketball for 17 years and was “the voice” of the Red Raiders football for 40 years. Mr. Shumate received many awards as a teacher including the President of the Texas Forensic Association, Chairman of the North Texas Chapter of the National Forensic League. In 1996 he was selected by the University of Texas as one of the top 10 “Teachers of Excellence” in the State of Texas. In his retirement years Alan was on the Board of Directors of East Texas Goodwill Industries and Opportunities in Tyler and the Robert E. Lee football announcer. He was also a life member, P.T.A. and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Alan was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his brother, Morgan Shumate and wife Sue of Magnolia; nephews, Charles Shumate and wife Adriana of Katy and David Shumate and wife Cheri of Humble; niece, Becky Varner and husband Jeff of The Woodlands and numerous great-nieces and nephews all of Texas. Pallbearers will be Doug Marshall, Kevin McCugh, Jack Peppard, Randy C. Roberts, Decker Kennington, Jim Borgeson, Steve Coker, and Neil Rambin. Honorary pallbearers will be the former debate students from Robert E. Lee High School. Visitation is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. If desired, memorials may be made to the TJC Foundation, (the Alan Shumate Debate Scholarship) PO Box 9020, Tyler, Texas 75711.

Alan Hastings Shumate

October 21, 1942 - November 1, 2014