Norman David Shumway

Former United States Congressman Norman David Shumway passed away in his home on November 1, 2022. He had recently been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor.

Norman D. Shumway was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 28, 1934. When his family moved to Stockton, California, he was enrolled in kindergarten at Woodrow Wilson School and completed the eighth grade there. He continued his education at Stockton High School and within that high school-college system where he received an Associates of Arts degree from Stockton College in 1954. In 1960 he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in political science at the University of Utah. Mr. Shumway received a J. D. degree from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1963.

Mr. Shumway practiced law for several years as a partner in the law firm of Cavalero, Bray and Shumway. He was an adjutant professor at San Joaquin Delta College and at Humphreys College and held a lifetime California teaching credential.

In 1974, then-Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him to fulfill a vacancy on the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. He was elected to the Board in 1974 and again in 1976. He was vice chairman of the board in 1977 and chairman in 1978.

In November 1978, Mr. Shumway, a Republican, was elected to the United States House of Representatives from California’s 14^th Congressional District. He served as a U. S. Congressman for twelve years, serving in the 96^th through 101^st Congresses. He chose not to run for re-election in 1990.

As a member of the House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, Mr. Shumway served as the ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on Economic Stabilization. He was also a member of the Subcommittee on International Trade, Investment and Monetary Policy. As a member of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Mr. Shumway served as the ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on Oceanography. He further served as a member of the House Select Committee on Aging.

During his years in Congress, Mr. Shumway was one of only two members of the House of Representatives who were fluent in spoken Japanese. Consequently, he was selected many times to lead delegations of his colleagues to Japan to meet with representatives of Japanese government, industry, and education. He participated in many forums and seminars, in both the United States and Japan, dealing with trade conflicts, defense issues, and the U. S./Japan relationship in general. Mr. Shumway was active in promoting several parliamentary exchanges between Diet members and members of the US Congress and helped to host Diet members as they visited the United States. He was asked by President Ronald Reagan to represent him at the funeral of former Prime Minister Takeo Miki in Tokyo, Japan, on December 4, 1988. He had a close personal relationship with Akira Morita, the co-founder of Sony Corporation. He traveled extensively in Japan and remained a lifelong student of Japanese culture.

After retiring from Congress, Mr. Shumway was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to the Public Utilities Commission for the State of California. He served as a Commissioner for four years. Governor Wilson then appointed him to the California Narcotic Addict Evaluation Authority, where he served for one year as a parole board member.

President George H. W. Bush appointed Mr. Shumway to the Board of Directors of Legal Services Corporation. He has also served on the boards of U. S. English, Goodwill Industries of America and Omniplex, Ltd. He was a member of the Board of Visitors of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University from 1989 to 1991. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy from 2002 to 2005. Pioneers and as a member of the National Presidential Advisory Board at Utah Valley University from 2008 to 2010.

Mr. Shumway was active as a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a missionary to Japan from 1954 to 1958, and as bishop of the Stockton Second Ward from 1969 to 1974. He was a seminary instructor, high priest group leader, gospel doctrine teacher, ward organist, high councilman and a counselor in a San Joaquin Stake presidency. From 1996 to 1999 he was president of the Japan Hiroshima Mission. In 2000-2001 he was the Public Affairs Director for the Asia North Area, stationed in Tokyo. He and his wife Luana were Hosting Directors for the Church from 2002 through 2005. From 2006 to 2008 they were in New York City serving the Church in a non-governmental organization capacity to the United Nations. He was a member of the Sons of the Utah Pioneers and has been honored by the Boy Scouts of America and by numerous other volunteer associations.

In 2009 he spent a year writing an autobiography to share his life story and his testimony with his posterity. In 2010 he and his wife Luana were called to serve for two years in the Boston Massachusetts Mission as leader and member support missionaries. In 2013 they were called for eighteen months as ordinance workers in the Tokyo Japan Temple.

Most recently he served his community as a member of the Country Springs Homeowners Association Board in Bountiful, Utah, and in his church as ward mission leader and family history and temple leader.

Mr. Shumway is survived by his wife Luana, his children Jenny (and Larry) Weatherford, Neal (and Pam) Shumway, Perry (and Ann) Shumway, Tyler (and Michele) Shumway, Stuart Shumway, and Brenda (and Brent) Bethers. Also surviving are 35 grandchildren (one deceased), 33 great grandchildren and his younger sister Judy Lambert of West Richland, Washington.

He is preceded in death by his parents Wallace Loral Shumway and Zina Owens Shumway, his brother Theodore Wallace Shumway and his sister Myrna Linda Shumway Bonilla.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at the Stone Creek Stake Center, 1476 North 300 West, Bountiful, Utah.  Friends can meet with family members at a viewing on Friday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah and on Saturday morning from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. at the church prior to services.

The family wishes to thank Community Nursing Services Hospice Care and Visiting Angels for their skillful and caring support during Mr. Shumway’s illness.