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Missouri
(Younkin) Shumaker |
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Ira Sr. and Missouri |
Georgia "Missouri" (Younkin) Shumaker was born on Aug. 21, 1891 in Rockwood, Somerset County, PA, the daughter of Daniel M. and Elmira (Zimmerman) Younkin.
On New Year’s Eve 1908, at the age of 17, Missouri married 21-year-old Ira Clinton Shumaker Sr. (April 7, 1887-1958), a native of Berlin, Brothersvalley Township, Somerset County, and the son of John and Susan (Stutzman) Shumaker. The ceremony was performed by Rev. B.J. Hummel at Rockwood. Because Missouri was underage, her father had to sign his consent to the union.
The Shumakers together bore five children – Lula Laverne Sharp Shawley, Althea Mardell Shumaker, Malzena Virginia Felicetti, Ira Clinton Shumaker Jr. and Wilbur Eugene "Wib" Shumaker.
Ira was a farmer, coal miner and plumber. They initially resided near Berlin, as shown in the 1920 federal census enumeration.
By 1930, they relocated to Bethel Park in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, with Ira now earning a living as a house plumber. That year, divorced daughter Lula Sharp and her son Bill lived under their roof, as did two boarders, plumber Charles Infield and lumber company painter Lee Johnson.
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Centennial booklet, 1957 -- and Missouri's note on the flyleaf |
In October 1934, distant cousin Otto Roosevelt Younkin interviewed Missouri's elderly father for a family history project. Otto's notes state that at the time, Missouri was in possession of an old family Bible containing family records. The whereabouts of the Bible today are unknown, but a copy of Otto's notes is in the Minerd.com Archives.
The Shumakers later relocated to a farm along Grandview Avenue at Hickory, Washington County, PA.
At the age of 70, Ira was stricken with a pulmonary embolism and contracted acute congestive heart failure, and was admitted to Washington Hospital. There, he passed away on March 23, 1958.
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Obituary, 1971 |
Missouri outlived him by 13 years. In May 1967, her son Wilbur presented her with a booklet, Rockwood Centennial: 1857-1957, which included a history of her birthplace and many vintage photographs. She wrote this on an inside page: "Wib gave it to me of my home town of Rockwood. Mother. And he is to have it to rember [sic] my old Home Stead."
She died at her home in Hickory on Feb. 9, 1971. She is buried at Jefferson Memorial Park in Pittsburgh's South Hills. An obituary in the Canonsburg (PA) Daily Notes reported that her survivors numbered 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
~ Daughter Lula Laverne (Shumaker) Sharp Shawley ~
Daughter Lula Laverne Shumaker (1909-1978) was born on April 13, 1909 in Rockwood. As a young woman, she obtained work as a clerk in Somerset, Somerset County.
When she was 19 years of age, on Jan. 31, 1929, Lula married 24-year-old David B. Sharp ( ? - ? ), son of John N. and Jean (Blakely) Sharp. A native of California, Washington County, he was employed as a laborer at Kantner, PA at the time of marriage. the ceremony was performed by Rev. S.A. Miller at 126 East Church Street in Somerset.
They produced one known son, William "Bill" Sharp. Sadly, the marriage was troubled from the start, and the couple divorced within the year.
By 1930, the 20-year-old Lula and her son Bill dwelled under her parents' roof in Bethel Park in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. That year, she had no occupation.
Lula later married her second husband, (?) Shawley ( ? - ? ). She is thought to have had a son, Dale Clinton Shawley.
Circa 1957, she was a member of the Dames of Malta Lodge in Monessen. She attended the 45th anjnual session of the Zenodacia of the Dames of Malta in Buffalo, NY in September 1957.
She died in Monessen, Washington County, PA on July 1, 1978, at the age of 69.
Son William "Bill" Sharp (1928- ? ) was born on Dec. 31, 1928. He married Ann and had three children -- William Sharp Jr., Kathy Sharp and Rosemary Sharp.
Son Dale Clinton Shawley (1932- ? ) was born on April 21, 1932. He married Patricia Hawks. Their two offspring were Dale Clinton Shawley Jr. and Pamela Jo Slavec.
~ Daughter Althea Mardell (Shumaker) Collins ~
Daughter Althea Mardell Shumaker (1912-1975) was born on July 5, 1912 in Somerset County.
She was united in matrimony with Edward R. Collins ( ? -1980). (Her brother Ira married his sister Rita.)
The Collinses lived in Castle Shannon near Pittsburgh and never reproduced. Later, they made their home in Belle Vernon, Fayette County, PA.
She died in Charleroi, Washington County, PA at the age of 63 on Dec. 7, 1975.
Ed lived as a widower for about five years and succumbed on June 25, 1980. A mass of Christian burial was held in the St. Joan of Arc Church, and a death notice was printed in the Pittsburgh Press.
~ Daughter Malzena Virginia "Zena" (Shumaker) Felicetti ~
Daughter Malzena Virginia "Zena" Shumaker (1916-1990) was born in about 1916 in Somerset County.
When both were age 21 and living in Pittsburgh, on June 9, 1937, Malzena was joined in holy wedlock with Andrew J. "Andy" Felicetti (1916-1978) of Pittsburgh. The couple went to Wellsburg, Brooke County, WV to tie the knot, in a ceremony led by Rev. William J. Fryer of the Assembly of God Church.
The couple made their residence for decades in Castle Shannon in Pittsburgh's South Hills and were members of the St. Anne Church.
Their five known children were Nancy Lou Moorehead Proctor, Sandra Lee Fenlock, Edward Clinton Felicetti, Carol Kileary and Margaret "Peggy" Holmes.
Sadly, Andy died on May 4, 1978. The Pittsburgh Press published a death notice in which the family asked that any memorial donations be made to the Heart Fund.
Malzena outlived her husband by a dozen years. She passed away on Dec. 19, 1990 at the age of 74. A mass of Christian burial was held in the family church. A death notice in the Press reported that she was survived by 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Daughter Nancy Lou Shumaker (1933- ? ) was born in April 1933. The name of her birth father is not known. She was joined in marriage with Walton Moorehead ( ? - ? ). their two children were David Mitchell Moorehead and Sharon Kay Liggett Little. Later, Nancy Lou was wedded to Frank Proctor ( ? - ? ).
Daughter Sandra Lee Felicetti (1940- ? ) was born in March 1940. She wed Richard Walter Fenlock ( ? - ? ), son of Walter and Genevieve Fenlock. They produced four children -- Richard Fenlock Jr., Dawn Fenlock, Andrea Ogrin and Michael Walter Fenlock.
- Grandson Richard Fenlock married Denise Harrison and had two children.
- Granddaughter Dawn Fenlock was wedded to (?) Milby.
- Granddaughter Andrea Fenlock was joined in matrimony with (?) Ogrin.
- Grandson Michael Walter Fenlock (1963-1984) was born on Sept. 6, 1963. He grew up near Pittsburgh. In 1981, he joined the U.S. Air Force and held the rank of Airman First Class. Tragically, while on duty in Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, England on Aug. 24, 1984, the 20-year-old lost his life in an accident of some sort. A death notice was printed in the Pittsburgh Press. His remains were returned home where a mass of Christian burial was held at St. Anne Church. Interment took place in Jefferson Memorial Park in Pleasant Hills. More will be added when learned.
Daughter Carol Felicetti ( ? - ? ) married William Kilkeary. Their four children were Timothy Kilkarey, Keith Kilkarey, Amy Kilkarey and Beth Kilkarey.
Son Edward Clinton Felicetti ( ? - ? ) married Patricia. They adopted three children, Christine Felicetti, Edward Clinton Felicetti Jr. and Valerie Felicetti.
Daughter Patricia Felicetti ( ? - ? ) was joined in wedlock with Ronald Holmes. They did not reproduce.
~ Son Ira Clinton Shumaker Jr. ~
Son Ira Clinton Shumaker Jr. (1917-1990) was born in 1917. He was 12 years of age when the family moved from Somerset to Bethel Park.
On June 26, 1937, at the age of 20, Ira married Rita (1918-2007). They went on to have four children -- Patricia Laverne Kling, James Clinton Shumaker, William Harry Shumaker and Ira Regis Shumaker.
Rita was "in the first graduating class of St. Francis Academy in 1936," said the Washington Observer-Reporter. The family made its home in Library, PA.
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Fisher Body plant of General Motors near Pittsburgh. From a painting by Howard Fogg for the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Co., of the New York Central System.
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As was his younger brother Wilbur, Ira was a longtime plumber and earned a living at the Fisher Body plant of General Motors in West Mifflin, on the outskirts of Pittsburgh.
Ira Jr. passed away in September 1990, at the age of 73.
Rita survived her husband by 17 years. On Oct. 8, 1991, she granted an interview telephone to the founder of this website and shared many important details about the family.
She joined Ira Jr. in death at the age of 89 on Sept. 22, 2007. A mass of Christian burial was held at St. Joan of Arc Church in Library.
Daughter Patricia Laverne Shumaker (1938-2000) was born on March 14, 1938. She married William Kling ( ? - ? ). Their two daughters were Kathy Kling and Karen Kling. Patricia died at age 62 in Pittsburgh on Oct. 16, 2000.
Son James Clinton Shumaker was wedded to Glenda Staley and had two children -- James Clinton Shumaker Jr. and Kelly Marie Shumaker. Later, after a divorce, James married again to Carolyn (?).
Son William Harry Shumaker married Lonna O'Rourke. Their three children were Glen Shumaker, Amy Shumaker and Jennifer Shumaker. The couple later divorced.
Son Ira Regis Shumaker married Diane Sorg. They had two sons, Keith Shumaker and Kevin Shumaker.
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Grandson Kevin Shumaker married Denise. In March 2005, he was in email contact with the founder of this website.
~ Son Wilbur Eugene Shumaker ~
Son Wilbur Eugene "Wib" Shumaker (1927-2012) was born on Nov. 27, 1925 (or 1927) in Somerset. During World War II, Wib served in the U.S. Navy and Merchant Marines.
On June 28, 1947, at age 21, Wib married 21-year-old Marianne T. Meloney (Nov. 4, 1925- ? ), daughter of Robert L. and Ada (Gates) Meloney. Rev. John H. Galbreath offiiciated at the nuptials held in Upper St. Clair Township near Pittsburgh.
They produced three daughters -- Linda Lou Sparks, Susan Carol Lilley and Kathleen Ann Gregg.
Later, the Shumakers lived in Hickory, Washington County, where Wib was employed as a plumber by the General Motors' Fisher Body Division. The family belonged to the Hickory United Presbyterian Church.
In 1990, Wib and Marianne graciously hosted a visit to their home by the founder of this website.
Wib passed away at the age of 86, on Aug. 23, 2012, in the Washington County Health Center.
Daughter Linda Lou Shumaker married James Raymond Sparks. Their two children were Kelly Jo Sparks and Jami Lynn Sparks.
Daughter Susan Carol Shumaker wedded Edwin Hendricksen. Their only known daughter was Lorianne Hendricksen.
Daughter Kathleen Anne Shumaker was united in holy matrimony with Douglas Paul Gregg.
~ More ~
Shumaker family history information today is on file at the Somerset County (PA) Historical and Genealogical Society. Some of it has been used in the preparation of this biography.
Copyright © 2002, 2005, 2007-2008, 2012, 2017-2018 Mark A. Miner