Parish pays tribute to senior for his dedication

Courtesy photo/Kristen Nau

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Tom Shoemaker takes his grandchildren Morgan (front left) and Brennan and dog, Yoga, for a walk.

BOUNTIFUL — A recent announcement in the Saint Olaf Parish bulletin read that "someone tall and lanky, who seems much younger, would be celebrating his 70th birthday on Jan. 30. He came to the parish in 1979 and is active in many aspects, especially as a lector and lector coordinator. He is awesome to the Saint Olaf Catholic School students."

The announcement went on to state that the man’s strengths are his work ethic and his love for his family. The parish was to guess who he was and to wish him happy birthday. The announcement was describing Tom Shoemaker. He and his wife, Ann, moved to Utah from California in 1979. They have three children and five grandchildren.

Shoemaker began working at St. Olaf in 1991; he manages the McNamara Center, where all the social events and basketball games are held. He also supervises the parish and school grounds, shovels the snow to keep the parking lots and sidewalks accessible, and maintains the rectory.

"He is a man of God and is deeply spiritual," said Jerrie Lou Barrett, retired parish administrator and director of religious education.

The school recently had a leak in the roof when a pipe burst and "he went out of his way to make sure it was fixed," said Deacon Dan Essary. "He does all the maintenance work for Saint Olaf School as well, and I don’t think people realize everything that he does."

"He also works with the community to set up the McNamara Center for district voting," said Marcie Downs, St. Olaf parish administrator. "He is always willing to set up the tables for parish functions, and it was his idea a few years ago to start cookies and lemonade during the summer months following the Sunday Masses. He is easy to work with and is always willing to help. He is quiet and does a lot things behind the scenes. He also spends time in adoration, takes the cans to be recycled, and the food the parish collects to the Bountiful food bank."

"He is a hard worker," said Kristin Nau, Shoemaker’s daughter. "He is very active and enjoys going to his grandson’s basketball games and he really enjoys the children at St. Olaf School. He loves doing volunteer work. He enjoys the outdoors and going for bike rides, walking, swimming and exercising."

Nau said Shoemaker loves to read spiritual and motivational books and he likes to travel to California to visit his daughter Jennifer.

"He is an honest and caring person, a tease and he likes to make jokes to get people laughing," said Nau. "He likes to be involved with what all his children and grandchildren are doing.

To celebrate his 70th birthday, the children wrote him letters describing what their favorite memories were growing up with him, Nau said. Grandson Brennan, 8, likes playing checkers with his grandfather and Brennan’s older brother, Zach, enjoyed a bike ride he took with his grandfather to Saltair and the Great Salt Lake.