Wenatchee World - August 22, 2002

Leo Howard Shumaker passed away peacefully on Aug. 18, 2002 at the age of 93.

Leo was born in Bray's Landing, Douglas County on June 10, 1909, third youngest of nine children born to Alfred and Emma Jane Shumaker.

Leo loved life and the people he met in his journey through it. He never met a stranger. For Leo, life was an adventure. He was a real cowboy on his father's ranch in Montana and on occasion a rodeo cowboy for fun. He then tried his hand as a boxer for a short time. He worked at a fish hatchery and as a Game Warden in Stevens County. It was during this period that he married Carol LaFordge in 1937. He worked for the Army Corps of Engineers as a pipe fitter in Alaska during the War. Leo and Carol moved on to Seattle where Leo worked in refrigeration, later starting his own business in that field. He moved his family to Twisp in 1949, where he owned a ranch and also worked as a school bus driver. He went on to work as a heavy equipment operator for a lumber mill in Twisp. The family then moved to Moses Lake in 1961 where Leo was a heavy equipment operator, building roads in Grant County. He and Carol moved to Omak in 1968 where he worked for a lumber mill as a heavy equipment operator until his retirement in 1974. After retirement, he traveled with his wife of 65 years, Carol. For the last 20 years, he and Carol lived in Wenatchee and wintered in Yuma, AZ.

Leo is survived by his loving wife, Carol; his daughters, Cheryl Hoyt of Kirkland, and Vicki Shumaker of Seattle; one sister, Louise Flack; two grandchildren, Gina Garcia-Scott and Jesse Shumaker; and three great-grandchildren, Eric, Ashley, and Lawrence; and his many nieces, nephews and cousins. He will be missed by his family and friends.

A Memorial Service will be held for Leo on Sept. 7, 2002, at 1 p.m. at Betts Funeral Home, 302 Ninth St. Wenatchee. A Celebration of his Life will be held at the family home following the service.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a memorial in Leo's name, please send a donation to the Macular Degeneration Foundation Inc. Research Fund, P.O. Box 531313, Henderson, NV 98053.