Col. Richard "Dick" Otto Shave

Lt. Col. Richard ""Dick"" Shave passed away on January 30, 2013 in Collins, MS.
He was born in Bessemer, MI on June 22, 1919, the sixth of eight children of Samuel and Alvina Schewe (Shave), recent German immigrants from Zhitomir, Ukraine. His early life was spent on the family farm in Bessemer. In high school, he was a member of the radio club. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Army-Air Corps. He served in the Philippines for four years before the start of WWII. He was on the last transport ship before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While stationed at West Point, NY, he met and married Virginia Witte in Kingston, NY in 1945. After his discharge, the newlyweds moved to Lansing, MI, where Dick graduated from Michigan State University in 1949.
The Shave family moved to the Gulf Coast in September 1959, when Dick became an instructor at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS. Dick and Ginny were active members of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Biloxi until 1961, when the family became charter members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Gulfport. Dick taught Sunday school, served on various boards and committees. He also served as president of the congregation as well as an elder.
Dick retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1979 as a Lt. Colonel after serving as a liaison officer for the Air Force Academy. He retired from civil service at Keesler AFB in 1982 where he had been the course supervisor of the electronics intelligence course. Since retiring, Dick had been active in the Lutheran Layman's League, The Retired Officers Association (TROA), the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), Toast Masters, the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, the Friends of the Library in Gulfport and served as a mentor for the Gulfport School District for many years. He resided at the Mississippi State Veteran's Home in Collins, MS since 2007.
He is preceded in death by Virginia (Ginny), his beloved wife of 66 years; his parents, brother Irwin Shave; sisters, Hattie Ferhiwary, Alice Eheim, Cecelia Lininger, Grace Shave and Elizabeth Christensen; sons-in-law, David Corban and Robert Runnels and great granddaughter, Magdalene Rose Marshall.
He is survived by one brother, Henry Shave of Quarryville, PA; daughters, Linell Corban of Jackson, MS and Martha Runnels of Mendenhall, MS; four grandchildren; Robin (Parham) Bridges and Jonathan (Misty) Marshall of Gulfport, James (Erin) Corban of Jackson and Jennifer Corban of Flagstaff, AZ and great grandchildren; Shane Marshall, stationed at Pearl Harbor, HI, Tabitha Bridges, Taitum Lambert and Joseph Otto Marshall of Gulfport and Lorelei Corban of Jackson and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 2004 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 1:00 in the afternoon. Burial will take place at the National Cemetery in Biloxi at a later date.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Road, Biloxi, is in charge of arrangements.
The family requests any memorials be made to Lutheran Hour Ministries (www.lhmgift.org).