Helen Louise Shewmaker

Helen "Louise" Shewmaker - December 26, 1938 - February 23, 2024 Helen "Louise" Shewmaker passed quietly in her home in the company of family, after a long battle with COPD and osteoporosis. Wife, mother, grandmother, volunteer, knitter, painter, ceramicist, craft teacher, and competition Scrabbler- she was a woman of many talents. She loved her family and she loved the Lord. Louise graduated from Will Rogers HS in Tulsa, OK in 1955, and was married shortly after and began building a family. She provided a home for four children, and a few years later added four stepchildren(that is, yes, a total of 8 children!) She was predeceased by father and mother, Art and Helen McKinney, by every one of her siblings - brothers Arthur, Robert and Tommy McKinney, and her sister Barbara Ouzts, as well as step-daughter Sherry. She is survived by countless friends and church family, as well as her husband of 53 years, Bob Shewmaker and his children Debbie, Terry and Bobby, her brother-in-law Clifford Tinsley and family of Tulsa; her nephew and niece, Robert McKinney and Robin McKinney Cevasco ; her niece, Tracy McKinney-Watkins; and niece Stephanie Ouzt- Davage and family. She is survived also by her children and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and one great granddaughter: her son Art Schrader and wife Lesa of Beggs, their son Colt and fiancee' Lauren, and Art's daughter Rhonda and her children Brianna, Xavier, Cynthia and Bryan; her daughter Sabrina Schrader and husband Casey Roberts, of Yukon, their children Joanna "JoJo" Roberts and Ryan Lawson; her son Robert Schrader and wife Kathy, of Tulsa, their sons Dakota and Justin, and his son Jonathan Schrader and grandson Lucius; and last but not least, her daughter April Shewmaker Uzzel and husband Kevin, of Tulsa, April's daughters - Aumbra and her daughters Baileigh (mother of gr-great granddaughter Sherry) and Ally; and Lily with her children Wyatt, Zakk and Natalie - and Kevin's children David, and Ashley, with her daughters Emily, Abigail and Audrey. For many years she and Bob ran a family restaurant, the Family Diner, on East Admiral in Tulsa, where many in the family have worked at one time or another. She also volunteered to help children with cerebral palsy, as well as supporting a local church with volunteering to make flower arrangements and cook for the needy. She was long time owner of the Pot Pantry, a ceramics shop in mid Tulsa. She was active in the East Admiral business association, and was very involved her Will Rogers Class of 1955 reunion committee for many years, even to the very last months of her life. Her most enduring church affiliation was the New Home Free Will Baptist church, where her Memorial Service will be officiated by Pastor Roy Smith. The gathering to celebrate Louise's life will take place there on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at 2 pm. The address is 3110 South 65th West Avenue in Tulsa.