ANDOVER — Ernest “E.B.”Shawver II, 88, loving husband and father, World War II Army veteran, rancher, oilman, philanthropist and conservationist, passed away on Jan. 1 at his home. Born on May 6, 1925, in Wichita, he was the son of Ernest Blaine and Stella Mae (Barr) Shawver. E.B. married Bettie (Cocking) Cordes in 1946 and they were later divorced. He married Virginia (Ferrell) Oetken on June 13, 1986 in Butler County.
E.B . was a WWII Veteran serving from 1943 to 1945. During that time he was in the 1st Platoon - Company E - 2nd Battalion - 475th Infantry - Mars Task Force and served in China Burma Theatre of WWII. E.B. loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing and many safaris in Africa. He was a rancher in Kansas and Colorado, past president and CEO of Stelbar Oil Corporation Inc., a past board member of 4th National Bank, Legacy sponsor of Ducks Unlimited, and a lifetime member of numerous wildlife conservation groups.
Survivors include his wife Virginia; children Judy (David) Tillemans of Rock and Marty (Helen) Shawver of Douglass; stepsons David (Angela) Oetken of Wichita and John (Kristi) Oetken of Great Bend; brother-in-law Jack Ferrell; grandchildren Grant (Sarah) Tillemans, Shawn Tillemans, Sally Shawver, Blaine Shawver, Laci Oetken, Addison Oetken and Heath Oetken. He was preceded in death by his parents E.B. and Stella; brother Jerry Eugene Shawver.
The family will celebrate E.B.’s life on May 6, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. at the ranch headquarters 4 miles south of Douglass. The family requests memorial donations be made to the fire departments in Atlanta, Douglass or Udall in care of the funeral home. Online register book available at www.heritageofandover.com


Funeral arrangements provided by
Heritage Funeral Home**
502 W. Central Ave.
Andover, Ks. 67002
Great Bend (Kan) Tribune, Jan. 7, 2014