William Thomas Shewan was born Aug 13, 1933 in Erie, Pennsylvania. His father, William W. Shewan (1895 - 1973), was born in London, England. His mother, Louisa Sauer Shewan (1896 - 1984), was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. With the exception of his two years of service in the U.S. Army, William spent his entire life in Erie.
William graduated from Blessed Sacrament Elementary School (6th grade) in 1945, Roosevelt Junior High School in 1948 (9th grade) and Erie Technical Memorial High School (studying woodworking) in June 1951.
William was inducted into the U.S. Army on Jun 1, 1953. After basic training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, he was assigned to Company B, 645th Engineer Battalion, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which provided engineering support to the 101st Airborne Division. His entire enlistment was stateside - he was never sent to Korea. He earned the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal. He was released from active duty on May 31, 1955 with the rank of Private First Class (E-3).
William worked at Zip's Tile (1957 - 1958), Firch Baking Company at 20th and Cranberry Streets (1958 - 1966), J. N. Wilson Rigging Company (1966 - 1969), and as a truck driver for Lyons Transportation Lines (1969 - 1990).
In 1957 William married Rosemary Akre (1938 - 2012) in a ceremony at Sacred Heart Church in Erie. The marriage was officiated by the Rev. John W. Rea (1918 - 2002), a friend of the Akre family from Virginia. They had five children.
William was active as an adult leader with the Boy Scouts of America, serving as secretary for Pack 15 at Sacred Heart Church (1967 - 1970), assistant scoutmaster at Troop 96 at St. George Church (1970 - 1974), and as an assistant scoutmaster of Troop 15 at Sacred Heart Church in the late 1970s.
In July 1972, while serving as an assistant scoutmaster at St. George RC Church Troop 96, he helped to organize a one week summer camp trip for the troop to Rough River Scout Reservation in Louisville, Kentucky. He also attended the event, providing adult supervision during the trip. He served as a scoutmaster for French Creek Council's provisional Troop 5321 to the National Jamboree in August 1973 at Moraine State Park, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
He was an active member of the Catholic Committee on Scouting, an organization that integrated Catholic teaching and involvement into Scouting. He was recognized for his work in 1976 by being awarded the committee's St. George Award, an award he took great pride in receiving. He was also a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow, a service organization that is part of the Boy Scouts.
William died January 2, 1994 at age 60 at his residence after a two-year battle with lung cancer. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Richard W. Shewan, and a sister, Donna Shewan Gingenbach). He was survived by his wife Rosemary, one son and four daughters (including his eldest daughter, Jean Shewan Abata), and one grandchild. He was also survived by his brother Gerald A. Shewan and a sister, Mary Louise Shewan.
William graduated from Blessed Sacrament Elementary School (6th grade) in 1945, Roosevelt Junior High School in 1948 (9th grade) and Erie Technical Memorial High School (studying woodworking) in June 1951.
William was inducted into the U.S. Army on Jun 1, 1953. After basic training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, he was assigned to Company B, 645th Engineer Battalion, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which provided engineering support to the 101st Airborne Division. His entire enlistment was stateside - he was never sent to Korea. He earned the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal. He was released from active duty on May 31, 1955 with the rank of Private First Class (E-3).
William worked at Zip's Tile (1957 - 1958), Firch Baking Company at 20th and Cranberry Streets (1958 - 1966), J. N. Wilson Rigging Company (1966 - 1969), and as a truck driver for Lyons Transportation Lines (1969 - 1990).
In 1957 William married Rosemary Akre (1938 - 2012) in a ceremony at Sacred Heart Church in Erie. The marriage was officiated by the Rev. John W. Rea (1918 - 2002), a friend of the Akre family from Virginia. They had five children.
William was active as an adult leader with the Boy Scouts of America, serving as secretary for Pack 15 at Sacred Heart Church (1967 - 1970), assistant scoutmaster at Troop 96 at St. George Church (1970 - 1974), and as an assistant scoutmaster of Troop 15 at Sacred Heart Church in the late 1970s.
In July 1972, while serving as an assistant scoutmaster at St. George RC Church Troop 96, he helped to organize a one week summer camp trip for the troop to Rough River Scout Reservation in Louisville, Kentucky. He also attended the event, providing adult supervision during the trip. He served as a scoutmaster for French Creek Council's provisional Troop 5321 to the National Jamboree in August 1973 at Moraine State Park, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
He was an active member of the Catholic Committee on Scouting, an organization that integrated Catholic teaching and involvement into Scouting. He was recognized for his work in 1976 by being awarded the committee's St. George Award, an award he took great pride in receiving. He was also a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow, a service organization that is part of the Boy Scouts.
William died January 2, 1994 at age 60 at his residence after a two-year battle with lung cancer. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Richard W. Shewan, and a sister, Donna Shewan Gingenbach). He was survived by his wife Rosemary, one son and four daughters (including his eldest daughter, Jean Shewan Abata), and one grandchild. He was also survived by his brother Gerald A. Shewan and a sister, Mary Louise Shewan.
William Thomas Shewan was born Aug 13, 1933 in Erie, Pennsylvania. His father, William W. Shewan (1895 - 1973), was born in London, England. His mother, Louisa Sauer Shewan (1896 - 1984), was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. With the exception of his two years of service in the U.S. Army, William spent his entire life in Erie.
William graduated from Blessed Sacrament Elementary School (6th grade) in 1945, Roosevelt Junior High School in 1948 (9th grade) and Erie Technical Memorial High School (studying woodworking) in June 1951.
William was inducted into the U.S. Army on Jun 1, 1953. After basic training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, he was assigned to Company B, 645th Engineer Battalion, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which provided engineering support to the 101st Airborne Division. His entire enlistment was stateside - he was never sent to Korea. He earned the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal. He was released from active duty on May 31, 1955 with the rank of Private First Class (E-3).
William worked at Zip's Tile (1957 - 1958), Firch Baking Company at 20th and Cranberry Streets (1958 - 1966), J. N. Wilson Rigging Company (1966 - 1969), and as a truck driver for Lyons Transportation Lines (1969 - 1990).
In 1957 William married Rosemary Akre (1938 - 2012) in a ceremony at Sacred Heart Church in Erie. The marriage was officiated by the Rev. John W. Rea (1918 - 2002), a friend of the Akre family from Virginia. They had five children.
William was active as an adult leader with the Boy Scouts of America, serving as secretary for Pack 15 at Sacred Heart Church (1967 - 1970), assistant scoutmaster at Troop 96 at St. George Church (1970 - 1974), and as an assistant scoutmaster of Troop 15 at Sacred Heart Church in the late 1970s.
In July 1972, while serving as an assistant scoutmaster at St. George RC Church Troop 96, he helped to organize a one week summer camp trip for the troop to Rough River Scout Reservation in Louisville, Kentucky. He also attended the event, providing adult supervision during the trip. He served as a scoutmaster for French Creek Council's provisional Troop 5321 to the National Jamboree in August 1973 at Moraine State Park, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
He was an active member of the Catholic Committee on Scouting, an organization that integrated Catholic teaching and involvement into Scouting. He was recognized for his work in 1976 by being awarded the committee's St. George Award, an award he took great pride in receiving. He was also a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow, a service organization that is part of the Boy Scouts.
William died January 2, 1994 at age 60 at his residence after a two-year battle with lung cancer. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Richard W. Shewan, and a sister, Donna Shewan Gingenbach). He was survived by his wife Rosemary, one son and four daughters (including his eldest daughter, Jean Shewan Abata), and one grandchild. He was also survived by his brother Gerald A. Shewan and a sister, Mary Louise Shewan.
William graduated from Blessed Sacrament Elementary School (6th grade) in 1945, Roosevelt Junior High School in 1948 (9th grade) and Erie Technical Memorial High School (studying woodworking) in June 1951.
William was inducted into the U.S. Army on Jun 1, 1953. After basic training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, he was assigned to Company B, 645th Engineer Battalion, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which provided engineering support to the 101st Airborne Division. His entire enlistment was stateside - he was never sent to Korea. He earned the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal. He was released from active duty on May 31, 1955 with the rank of Private First Class (E-3).
William worked at Zip's Tile (1957 - 1958), Firch Baking Company at 20th and Cranberry Streets (1958 - 1966), J. N. Wilson Rigging Company (1966 - 1969), and as a truck driver for Lyons Transportation Lines (1969 - 1990).
In 1957 William married Rosemary Akre (1938 - 2012) in a ceremony at Sacred Heart Church in Erie. The marriage was officiated by the Rev. John W. Rea (1918 - 2002), a friend of the Akre family from Virginia. They had five children.
William was active as an adult leader with the Boy Scouts of America, serving as secretary for Pack 15 at Sacred Heart Church (1967 - 1970), assistant scoutmaster at Troop 96 at St. George Church (1970 - 1974), and as an assistant scoutmaster of Troop 15 at Sacred Heart Church in the late 1970s.
In July 1972, while serving as an assistant scoutmaster at St. George RC Church Troop 96, he helped to organize a one week summer camp trip for the troop to Rough River Scout Reservation in Louisville, Kentucky. He also attended the event, providing adult supervision during the trip. He served as a scoutmaster for French Creek Council's provisional Troop 5321 to the National Jamboree in August 1973 at Moraine State Park, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
He was an active member of the Catholic Committee on Scouting, an organization that integrated Catholic teaching and involvement into Scouting. He was recognized for his work in 1976 by being awarded the committee's St. George Award, an award he took great pride in receiving. He was also a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow, a service organization that is part of the Boy Scouts.
William died January 2, 1994 at age 60 at his residence after a two-year battle with lung cancer. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Richard W. Shewan, and a sister, Donna Shewan Gingenbach). He was survived by his wife Rosemary, one son and four daughters (including his eldest daughter, Jean Shewan Abata), and one grandchild. He was also survived by his brother Gerald A. Shewan and a sister, Mary Louise Shewan.
Inscription
SHEWAN
WILLIAM T.
1933 + 1994
