Robert N. Shields

GRAFTON - To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. Our beloved father, grandfather, brother, and uncle's time to die occurred on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, around noon at Mary Immaculate Hospital. God knew that our beloved, after spending the last year of his life in and out of the hospital and as a resident of Saint Francis Nursing Center, had endured enough pain and that it was time for him to be delivered from his suffering.
"Mack" as he was called by most was born and raised in Grafton. He was the son of the late Winfred Sr., and Ethel Harrod Shields. At a very early age, he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, and united with the Grafton Baptist Church.
He was married to the late Marjorie Tolliver for nearly 50 years. That union produced two sons and a daughter. Mack was a hard worker and many days he worked from sun up to sun down operating a trash route while working full time at Cheatham Annex. He was a serious, no nonsense person.
He was a member of Light of the Valley Masonic Lodge of Grafton, Va., for many, many years.
Mack was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marjorie; his parents, four brothers, Herman, Winfred Jr., Clarence, and Thomas; and two sisters, Rosetta and Elizabeth.
He leaves to mourn his passing two sons, Robert Jr., of Newport News and Herman (Kelly) of El Paso, Texas; a daughter, Virgie Peterson of Williamsburg; three very dear granddaughters, Patricia Howard of Charles City, LaDawn Shields of Smithfield, and Diana Shields of Newport News; two close grandsons, Terry Howard Jr. of Richmond, and Antone Shields of Smithfield; three sisters, Frances Williams and Annie Jones-Ellison (Rufus) of Hampton, and Alice Langford (Harold) of Newport News, who was overseer of his care and affairs for the past year; and a stepdaughter, Joyce McCree (Mack) of Grafton. Others to mourn his passing are numerous other grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, a special friend, Beatrice, and a host of other relatives and friends.
The family extends special thanks to the staff of Saint Francis Nursing Center for the love and comfort given to their loved one and also to the dedicated staff of the Mary Immaculate ICU.
A funeral service will be held noon Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, at Grafton Baptist Church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Viewing will be from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and two hours prior to the service at the church on Saturday.
Arrangements are by O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.