Member Biography

John Jeffries Shumaker 

Member
Sessions Office Position District Party
1983       15 Republican
1984       15 Republican
1985       15 Republican
1986       15 Republican
1987       15 Republican
1988       15 Republican
1989       15 Republican
1990       15 Republican
1991       15 Republican
1992       15 Republican
1993       15 Republican
1994       15 Republican
1995       15 Republican

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 ProjectWilkes 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