Keith Arthur Shumate, 86, of Hiram, GA passed away Sunday, April 21, 2019.  Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Thursday, April 25, 2019 at Bible Way Baptist Church in Powder Springs, GA with Rev. Randy Cape, Rev. Harold Wells and Rev. George Pirt officiating. The family will receive friends from 12 Noon until 2 pm Thursday prior to the service at Bible Way Baptist Church.

Keith Arthur Shumate was born in Wyandotte County Township, Ohio on July 3, 1932.  Married Barbara Ann Herr on January 16, 1951.  He served with honor in the United States Air Force from 1950-1962.  While he was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska he led special ops missions into Korea during the conflict there.  He was also stationed in Casablanca, Morocco and Plattsburg, New York.  While in New York he felt called into ministry, so left the Air Force and enrolled in Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, where he received a graduate degree in theology.  He would later go on to earn a Doctor of Theology degree from Calvary Baptist College, Melbourne, Florida.  While in the ministry, he planted his first church, Decatur Baptist Temple in Decatur, Illinois; moved to Tampa, Florida where he served as associate pastor at Temple Height Baptist Church; was a principal of Ridgeview Christian School in Stuarts Draft, Virginia; and started a second church, Landmark Baptist Church in Red Oak, Texas, where he pastored for 25 years.  During his "retirement", he was an assistant pastor of West Gate Baptist Church, and a prolific adult Sunday School teacher as well as the Vice President and Bible professor at Florida Baptist College, where he taught Old Testament.  He loved the Bible and was passionate about mentoring young men to become great pastors.  His greatest passion was Jesus Christ and sharing the gospel with anyone who would listen.  He is now face to face with Jesus Christ the Savior he loves.

Survivors include; Barbara Ann Herr, beloved wife; five daughters; Suzy (Gary) Edwards of Smyrna, Georgia, Jackie (Jerry) Pope of Covington, Indiana, Skeet Shiver of Monroe, Georgia, Sandy (Steve) Henderson of Powder Springs, Georgia, and Missy (Michael) Landess of Lubbock, Texas; 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.  Also surviving are two brothers Dwight Shumate and Ed Thompson and one sister Dianna Kay Thompson Kavalets, and many nieces and nephews.  He is predeceased by his parents Robert Franklin (Nina) Shumate and Roma Fern (Hoburn) Thompson; by his sister Jayne Boyd; and one grandson Doug Krout, Jr.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Bible Way Baptist Church 3966 Brownsville Rd., Powder Springs, GA  30127.  Online condolences maybe expressed at mariettafuneralhome@gmail.org Marietta Funeral Home and Crematory 915 Piedmont Rd., Marietta, GA 770.422.1234, in charge of the arrangements.