Mama Blanche Faye Shoemake

Born on April 18, 1916 in Hot Springs, Arkansas to Pentecostal pioneer C.P. Kilgore and Ella Lee, Blanche Shoemake was one of ten children. After her father was converted and received a call to preach, the family began traveling to evangelize, first by a mule-drawn wagon and later by automobile. The Kilgore's faced deprivation, mockery, and self-sacrifice. But there were also the rewarding times of building and establishing over 13 churches.

In December 1932, Mama Blanche married "Papa" F.V. Shoemake and settled in Morris, Oklahoma, where they had four children. Mama Blanche and Papa evangelized in the Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana area.  They also pastored in Altus, OK, Morris, OK, Sperry, OK, Okmulgee, OK, Collinsville, OK, and South Modesto, CA. They also established churches in San Jose, CA (November 1951) and Visalia, CA (1979).

The Shoemakes had a vision to see the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread around the world. Throughout their lives, they were faithfully and unfailingly committed to Foreign and Home Missions. F.V. Shoemake sat on the Foreign Missions Board for many years. They contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours in labor and prayer to see the gospel shared around the world.

Mama Blanche (far right) with husband F.V. Shoemake, son Jimmy, father C.P. Kilgore and mother Ella Lee Kilgore.

Mama Blanche and F.V. Shoemake

In early 1951, the Shoemakes moved to San Jose, California, where they founded the First United Pentecostal Church of San Jose. They began holding services in a rented hall with eighteen people in attendance, including several children.  Three years later, the first church building was constructed at Saratoga and Piper avenues, a result of the joint efforts of the families attending the church.  A record number of 54 people were in attendance at the first service in their new building. 

The congregation continued to grow, and the First United Pentecostal Church of San Jose moved into its second building (the present location at 878 Boynton Ave.) on August 19th, 1962, with approximately 300 people attending the inaugural service.  A few years later, a rapidly growing congregation necessitated adding a second story to the educational wings.  At the same time, the church leaders felt that they should purchase the 2.4 acres adjoining the property, for a campus total of 4.3 acres.  This acreage is now the site of the new 1288-seat Sanctuary, Gymnasium, and educational buildings.

Original Sanctuary at 878 Boynton Ave.

Saints of First Church

Mama Blanche & F.V. Shoemake

Mama Blanche was incredibly talented as an artist and writer. To preserve her wonderful heritage and share it with the coming generations, she painted a collection of pictures depicting her early childhood evangelizing with her father and mother. She also wrote an autobiography, Blanche Faye - Through the Eyes of a Child, recounting her experiences growing up and watching her parents pioneer churches across the nation.

Mama Blanche is survived by four children: son Rev. Jimmy Shoemake (San Jose, CA) and three daughters, Nita Hodges (Chula Vista, CA), Dayna Jones (Austin, TX) and Regina Theobald (Discovery Bay, CA); two brothers: Rev. James Kilgore (Houston, TX) and Joseph Kilgore (Sacramento, CA); two sisters: Omeda Nichols (Sacramento, CA) and Odetta Wilburn (McAllister, OK); 16 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; and two great great-grandchildren.