Reginald Dennis (Gabby) Shoeman, treasure hunter, raconteur and all-around good guy died on Aug. 4, 2024 at age 82 at Mercy One Medical Center nini Des Moines, lowa, following a brief illness.
Reg was born to Gordon Cook and Mildred May (Merriam) Shoeman at Ft. Benning, Georgia on Dec. 5, 1941, two days before Pearl Harbor. He was the oldest of six children in a large, fun-loving German-American family. The majority of his growing up years were spent in and around Madrid, lowa, which, early on, cemented his love for the lowa prairie.
During the Vietnam conflict, Reg proudly served his country for 11 years on active duty in both the U.S. Air Force and Navy. While in the service, he acted as a helicopter co-pilot as well as an aviation electronics technician. He was honorably discharged from his military enlistment after suffering a career-ending injury.
