Jessie Lee Shifflett (1933 – 2026)

Jessie Lee Shifflett, 93, greatly beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, was called Home, by his Lord and Savior: CHRIST THE LORD.

Mr. Shifflett, a resident of Front Royal, Virginia, passed away while in the care of the Hospice unit in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on October 19 at approximately 3:18 am.

All who wish to offer condolences are welcome to attend his viewing for family and friends at Maddox Funeral Home, 105 West Main Street, Front Royal, VA, Tuesday evening, October 27th, from 5pm to 7pm.

Funeral services will begin at Rileyville Baptist Church in Rileyville, Virginia, on Wednesday morning, October 28th, at 11 am, led by Lead Pastor Dan Ellis. Services will conclude with burial at Panorama Memorial Gardens, in Strasburg, Virginia, at 2:30 pm.

Mr. Shifflett was born in Burke, Virginia. He grew up in Clifton, Virginia. He graduated from Fairfax High School in 1952, was drafted by the United States Army and sent to Korea from 1954 to 1956. He served as a military policeman (MP).

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

He was an ordained minister who served as interim pastor for numerous churches throughout the years.

He was an accomplished door-to-door salesman and worked in the insurance industry for many years.  He amassed an extensive collection of awards for his salesmanship. One colleague commented, “He can sell a blind man a pair of sunglasses!”

His greatest passion in life was telling everyone about JESUS. To those who met and knew him, he was an unforgettable figure who exuded warmth and love and wore his larger-than-life smile.

Wherever he went, he sang songs about JESUS.  He wanted everyone to accept JESUS as their SAVIOR and experience GOD’s unconditional love, as he did.

Later in life, he wrote letters and sent them to the local newspapers.  Every letter is about JESUS IS GOD, who went to the cross to save our souls.  He referred to them as love letters about GOD. He would share them with everyone who would accept them.  Ten of his letters are available to read on the Royal Examiner website. Just search Rev. Jess Shifflett.

To those who knew him, he will be greatly missed. He is survived by his two brothers, Herschel Shifflett and Cecil Shifflett; his three sons, Daniel Shifflett, Mark Shifflett and his wife Sharon, Samuel Shifflett and his wife Judith; two daughters, Ginger Shifflett Harris and her husband Thomas Harden, Julie Shifflett Goodwin; his 17 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in Death by his wife, Gloria Jean Shifflett; his parents, James Virgil Shifflett and Mary Frances Shifflett; his brothers, Newman Shifflett and James Virgil Jr. Shifflett; and his sisters, Winona E. Goolsby, Lura Anna Mae Pumphrey, Mary Frances McCauley, and Patty Wells.

In lieu of flowers and/or contributions, may be sent to Rileyville Baptist Church, 7044 US HWY 340, North Rileyville, Va. 22650.