After a brief illness, Jeffrey Alan Shumaker passed away at his home in Ceres on May 31, 2023.

Jeff was born in Fairborn, Ohio to parents Laura Vallo Shumaker and Donald H. Shumaker and graduated from Cumberland Valley High School in Pennsylvania.

He is survived by his parents; brother Charles (Chuck) and wife Laura B. Shumaker; his niece, Katherine; and aunts and uncles in Pennsylvania and local extended family.

Jeff was a happy guy and always greeted the people he loved by calling out their names. He was a wonderful barbeque master and enjoyed cooking out year-round. Jeff had a green thumb for gardening and always had a bountiful summer garden. His family and neighbors looked forward to receiving all the garden treasures he so widely shared. Jeff also enjoyed traveling, especially his tour of Europe and he loved music, serenading the neighborhood by playing Auld Lang Syne on his clarinet every New Year’s Eve.

A favorite memory was Jeff’s vacations with his brother attending Major League Baseball games. He always made himself available to help his family members, especially his elderly aunts, by changing ceiling light bulbs, putting up Christmas lights, programming TV remotes and helping with yard work. Jeff was always available to help. Most of all, Jeff enjoyed family get-togethers, catching up with cousins, and eating together. A favorite of Jeff’s was family buffets full of the foods he loved. Jeff was always there.

We will miss Jeff immensely – his sweetness, his laughter, his voice and his big, beautiful brown eyes will always be remembered.

The family expresses many thanks to the various health care professionals at Doctors Medical Center, first-responders and the SR911 dispatchers who helped Jeff and the family during his illness.

Sleep well, good boy, you are loved.

–Ceres (Calif.) Courier

Wednesday, June 14, 2023