Lyman Keith Shawler

Lyman Keith Shawler, 91, passed away at home at 3:15 p.m., Thursday, November 17, 2011. He is survived by his wife of 63 years Doris Lawrence Shawler; son, Stephen and his wife, Carolyn (nee, Beard) of West Union; daughter, Ann and husband, Mark Badasch of Collinsville, IL. Daddy was blessed with 5 grandchildren, Eric Shawler, of Martinsville, IL, Amy Shawler, of West Terre Haute, IN, Michael Badasch and wife, Rose, of Roxana, IL, Joshuah Badasch and wife Sarah of Baton Rouge, LA, and Megan Badasch of Tunis, Tunisia. He had one great-grandchild, Jerry Badasch of Roxana, IL; and 3 step-grandchildren, David, Christian, and Zack Mundy of Roxana, IL.Daddy was born on April 11, 1920 in West Union, the son of L. A. and Estella Thompson Shawler. He was preceded in death by sisters, Virginia Uhlenhop and Norma Thompson. He is survived by a sister, Clara Lou and brother-in-law, Fred Kidd of Alexandria, Virginia, and brother, Omer Shawler and sister-in-law, Virginia of Marshall. He is also survived by 8 nieces and nephews and their families.Daddy graduated for Hutsonville High School in 1939. After graduation he attended Indiana State for one year before joining the Army. He spent 3 years with the special combat team of the 82nd Airborne, Company E, 504 Parachute Infantry. He participated in five campaigns and two invasions with over 300 days of combat moving from North Africa to Italy, France, Holland, Belgium, and ending in Holland, and Battle of the Bulge. He received the Combat Infantry Medal, Bronze Star, 1 Silver Star, 4 services bars, European Ribbon, Middle East Ribbon, African Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, and WWII Victory Medal. He was hosted by President and Mrs. George W. Bush on November 11, 2006 at the White House for the National Veterans Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D. C. He truly was part of The Greatest Generation.He was appointed Postmaster in West Union in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and retired in 1984 to become what he called a €œhobby€ farmer and spent his days on the land and at €œShawler€™s pond€. His volunteer work was in the areas of soil, water, and wildlife conservation, which he loved. He served for 16 years as a member of the Mill Creek Conservancy District helping to build 8 flood control structures. He organized and brought to a successful referendum the first county wide park district in the State of Illinois. Lyman was the first President of the park board, serving from 1967 until 1979. The Clark County Park District Board worked with the Soil Conservation Service to build Mill Creek Lake and park at Clarksville, which is the multi-purpose flood control and recreation development.In 1966 he received the Illinois Soil Conservation Award from the National Wildlife Federation and the Sears Foundation for €œoutstanding contribution to the wise use and management of the nation€™s natural resources.€ In 1971, he received the 14th annual €œRaindrop€ award from the Wabash Valley Association where he was a charter member. From an early age until his death he was a member of the First Baptist Church of West Union. He was a charter member, since 1969, of the West Union Ruritan Club, and a member of the West Union American Legion Post since 1947.He taught his grandchildren to hunt, fish, drive, and to have a sense of patriotism. He will be remembered, always.Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 21, 2011 at the Prust-Hosch Funeral Home, West Union. Burial will be at the Ohio Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., Sunday, November 20th at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of West Union with envelopes available at the funeral home