Biography

03/13/1929 - 10/13/1999

Commander John Jeffries Shumaker (R15) Dauphin and Northumberland (Part) Counties 1983-1992 (R15) Dauphin County 1992-1995

Early Life: 

Commander John Jeffries Shumaker, born March 13, 1929, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; son of John and Esther Jeffries Shumaker; Dickinson College, (B.A.), 1951; Dickinson Law School, (J.D.), 1956; United States Navy, 1951-1953; Retired Reserve (Commander Naval Intelligence) officer in charge, Naval Intelligence unit, 1966-1968, 1972-1973; attorney; Chairman, Dauphin County Young Republicans, three years; chairman, Dauphin County Advancement Committee; chairman, Susquehanna Township Republican Committee; founder, Shumaker Agency (general insurance) 1954; cofounder, Penn Nation Turf Club, 1968; president, general manager, Penn National Race Course, 1973-1983; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1983, reelected, 1984-1995; married, Judith Rine Strohecker, three children, Lori, Lisa, Liane; died, October 13, 1999 (aged 70) Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg, Lower Paxton Township, Pennsylvania; interment, Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career:

Founder, Shumaker Agency (general insurance) 1954; cofounder, Penn Nation Turf Club, 1968; president, general manager, Penn National Race Course, 1973-1983. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Chairman, Susquehanna Township Authority, 1968-1975; president, Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, 1975; Pennsylvania Crime Commission, 1967-1969; Region III Planning Committee of Pennsylvania Justice Commission; 1969-1973; chairman, Pennsylvania, Council of National Committee on Crime and Delinquency, 1966-1968; National Trustee, National Committee on Crime and Delinquency, 1962-1975; Pennsylvania Committee on Crime and Delinquency, 1964-1972; president, Greater Harrisburg, Chamber of Commerce, 1968-1969; president, Dauphin County Unit, American Cancer Society 1965-1967; District Government Rotary International District 739, 1970-1971; trustee, United Methodist Church; board of directors, Harrisburg Horse Show Association; board of directors, Tri-County Easter Seal Society for the Handicapped Incorporation; director, board of trustees, Community General Osteopathic Hospital; director, Community General Osteopathic Hospital Foundation; board of directors, Dauphin County Fire Training Center; Uptown Late Start Senior Citizen Center; executive board, Keystone Area County; executive board, Boy Scouts of America; executive board, Tri-County Opportunities, (OIC); professional member, American Correctional Association, member, American Legion. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Chairman Dauphin County Young Republicans, three years; chairman, Dauphin County Advancement Committee; chairman Susquehanna Township Republican Committee. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 15th district, Dauphin and Northumberland (Part) Counties, April 11, 1983, Senator George William Gekas, resignation, Congress; reelected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 15th district, Dauphin and Northumberland (Part) Counties, 1984-1992,  Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 15th district, Dauphin County, 1993- resigned, health, August 31, 1995; committee assignments, Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure (Vice Chairman), Education, Law and Justice (Chairman), Judiciary, Urban Affairs and Housing. 

Legacy: 

Senator John J. Shumaker Public Safety Center, opened just north of the Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg campus, 1988. 

Act of June 19, 2001, P.L. 279, No. 19, Designating a portion of Routes 22 and 322 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, as the John J. Shumaker Memorial Highway. 2001 Act 19 (state.pa.us)     

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1987-1988). Doukas, O., (Editor). (Volume 108). Department of General Services. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 79, 102.

The Daily News (Lebanon, Pennsylvania) Friday October 15, 1999, Page 2. 

CDR John Jeffries Shumaker (1929-1999) - Find a Grave Memorial