Shelby "Gene" Becraft, Sr.

Shelby "Gene" Becraft, Sr., 73, of Mt. Sterling, died Saturday evening, August 29, 2015 at UK Medical Center. He was born July 22, 1942 in Frenchburg to the late Olive Ann McGlothen and Audley Winford Becraft.

Gene moved to Mt. Sterling from Youngstown, Ohio in 1972, United States Army Veteran, retired from Polyform in Winchester and also previously employed at Rockwell, Nestle, Lawson & Crane and Hobart and he attended Macedonia Baptist Church. He was a proud member of the Handyman Club of America, he was known by many as “Mr. Fix It”.  Gene had a jokester personality, loved talking and visiting with people, enjoyed bragging on his family and drinking coffee.  He also had a passion for taking care of everyone, working puzzles, throwing horse shoes, UK basketball, farming and taking country cruises when he’d travel visiting family.  He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Survivors include; one son, Shelby Gene Becraft, Jr. (Michelle) of Elizabethtown; three daughters, Geneva Nolan (Tommy Anderson) of Mt. Sterling, Phyllis Gilvin-Seale (Jackie L.) of Clay City and Donna Ann Jackson (James Earl) of Glasgow; sixteen grandchildren, Tisha Lynn Arnett, Joshua Cain Gilvin, Shasta Lynn Vice, Jason Edward Shrout, James “Curly” Simpson, Brian Nicholas Shrout, Jon Simpson, Stevie Jackson, Amber “Doodle” McPhearson, Dallas Ray Anderson, T.J. Hamm, Michayla Becraft, Harley Hamm, Shelby Gene Becraft III, Angelina Becraft, and Aurora “Rosie” Becraft; eighteen great grandchildren; uncle, Willard Becraft of California; nephew, Timothy Wayne Updike; niece, Debra Sue Updike; “adopted” son, David Stockton.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 40 years, Patricia Ann “Pat” Becraft.