The Shadow
IRON GATE — Long-time Iron Gate resident Gary Showalter has been named grand marshal for the 2018 Iron Gate Christmas Parade, “Polar Express.”
The parade will be held Saturday at 1 p.m.
Showalter was selected to lead the parade by the Iron Gate Fire Department’s Parade Committee “for serving the town in some capacity for most of his life,” said Committee Chair and Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Chris Fisher.
“He’s lived in Iron Gate most of his life and was an active member of the Iron Gate Fire Department for many years,” said Fisher.
“I was honored to be asked to be parade marshal,” said Showalter of his selection.
Showalter, the nephew of former Iron Gate vice mayor, the late Sara Payne, says he feels like he’s following in her footsteps, as Payne was once Iron Gate’s parade marshal.
Showalter, a veteran of the United States Air Force, was stationed in Turkey for 15 months and in England for three years, but returned to Iron Gate after his tour of duty.
He went to work at Hercules in Covington for three months before taking employment at the old paper mill, now known as WestRock. He worked various jobs there, mostly shift work, for 43 years before retiring as a quality control inspector.
Showalter and his wife, Barbara, have been married for 51 years. Their son, Paul, is a librarian at William and Mary in Williamsburg, while their daughter, Erin, is employed by Wells Fargo in Roanoke. They have one grandchild, seven-year-old Wyatt.
Showalter enjoys attending Iron Gate Town Council meetings and singing gospel music.
He currently sings with the Celebration Choir.
