La Rue Shanahan's Obituary
LaRue Shanahan was born May 23, 1935 in Robstown, Texas and passed away November 28, 2016 in Frisco, Texas. La Rue was born on May 23, 1935 in Robstown, Texas. She was the daughter of Ivan C. King and the former Ruby Hartsfield. She passed away November 28, 2016. She is preceded in death by Bobby King, her brother and both of her parents. She is survived by her husband, James Shanahan, and her two daughters Pamela Hardison and Lisa Bloskas and her 6 grandchildren Lauren, Ashley, Connor, Preston, Valerie and Grayson. La Rue grew up in Robstown and became a standout barrel racer in area rodeos, following in her beloved brother’s footsteps. From rodeos to cheerleading, La Rue had a zest for life that continued her whole life. She attended Baylor University and roomed with Ruth Carter and Jo Ellen Shanahan, who would become her sister-in-laws. She married James (Jim) while attending college and moved to College Station so that Jim could complete his degree at Texas A&M. She and Jim moved to Dallas and started Mastercraft Industries, a manufacturing company that grew to employ 350 people. She and Jim moved the company to Mt. Pleasant, Texas in 1974 where they lived until 1999. She and Jim moved to Frisco, Texas and in 2004 she was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. She became a well-known name in the Dallas ALS community as one of the longest surviving members. Of her many accomplishments, she was most proud of the scholarships she and Jim established at Baylor University, Texas A&M and Northeast Texas Community College. The scholarship recipients include dentists, business professionals, and engineers. Her family was her pride and joy and she lived long enough to see them graduate from college, with some attending graduate school. She taught Sunday school for many years including her favorite, Vacation Bible School, and loved seeing people come to Jesus. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the ALS Association at www.alsa.org A memorial service for LaRue Shanahan will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 1:00 PM, at First Baptist Church, Dallas. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243.
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