----BILL SHUMAY----
Longtime Twinsburg resident
Bill Shumay, 85, died March 14, 2008, at his home in Twinsburg.
Mr. Shumay was the founder of Arcon Equipment Inc., a Walton Hills-based supplier of industrial batteries and chargers.
Prior to founding Arcon in 1967, Mr. Shumay was field engineer and salesman for Edison Storage Battery, continuing there after the company was acquired by Exide. During World War II and for some years after, Mr. Shumay ran a maintenance facility for the rebuilding and re-engineering of DC-powered mining equipment for the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Co., based in McIntyre, Pa. Mr. Shumay retired from Arcon in 1989, and turned over operation of the company to his son, Don Shumay, who had worked alongside his father for many years.
In the 20 years since his retirement, Mr. Shumay remained active in his church, traveled widely, enjoyed gardening on his 4-acre home and researched his family's genealogy.
He was a member of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society and helped spread the knowledge of his father's language and culture. In 1997, at 74, Mr. Shumay traveled to Karpaty, Ukraine, the village where his father was born.
Mr. Shumay was born in Onalinda, Pa., on Jan. 17, 1923, and was raised in the coal mining town of Iselin, Pa. He was one of 10 children born to his immigrant father and second-generation American mother, and was brought up during the Depression. He had a challenging and rich life that helped him form his courage, motivation and sense of humor. He loved to tell stories of life in "the company town," which comprised people from many different countries.
Mr. Shumay was a dedicated family man and a devout Catholic. With his wife Shirley of 54 years, he lived in Twinsburg for 51 years where he raised his five children. He also had 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services were March 18 at St. Mary's Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church in Solon. Interment was at All Souls Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by the Tabone-Komorowski Funeral Home in Solon.