Norman Shimmel of Carlisle died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015 after several years battling Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis.
He was born Feb. 18, 1945 in Clearfield to the late Harold and Mabel (Parks) Shimmel. He grew up in Hyde and graduated from the Clearfield Area High School in 1963.
In July of 1963, he enlisted the U.S. Marine Corps, served for four years and received an Honorable Discharge as sergeant (E-5) in 1967.
He went through boot camp at Parris Island, SC and served at Camp LeJeune, NC, Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa; and Camp Geiger, NC.
He worked for several years at the Kurtz Bros. Goldenrod facility. He then enrolled in Shippensburg State College in elementary education, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1971 and his Master’s degree in elementary education in 1973.
He taught at the York Springs Elementary School in the Bermudian Springs School District in York Springs and at the Bermudian Springs Middle School for 16 years.
He earned an elementary principal’s certification from Temple University in 1986. He was employed from 1987 to 1997 as an elementary principal at the Lincolnway and the A. H. Martin Elementary Schools in the West York Area School District in York.
Following his retirement from education in 1997, he worked part-time for two years at the Dickinson Law School bookstore in Carlisle and then for eight years as a case manager with the SouthCentral Employment Corp. in Carlisle.
He was an avid reader, particularly of mysteries and history, and enjoyed traveling. He and his wife traveled to a number of countries in Europe as well as to many places in the United States.
He is survived by his loving wife, Marion (Neeper) of 45 years, and by seven brothers and sisters, Phyllis Jean Letts and Thomas Glenn Shimmel, both of Clearfield, Mona Kay Bush of Woodland, Joan Elizabeth Blackmon and her husband, Alan of Asheboro, NC, Dorcas Karen Junod and her husband, Richard of LaJose, Steve Michael Shimmel and his wife, Kim of Glastonbury, Conn., and Cheryl Anne Myers and her husband, Fred of Norton, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents, Harold and Mabel Shimmel, formerly of Hyde, and a brother, Harold Wesley Shimmel, formerly of Clearfield.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Kevin A. Beardsley Funeral Home, Clearfield.
Private burial in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Curwensville will be at the convenience of the family.
Friends will be received from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the American Lung Association, 3001 Old Gettysburg Rd., Camp Hill, or to the IPF Fund at Penn State Hershey (checks made out to Penn State University, “IPF Fund” in the memo line), 500 University Dr., MC H041, Hershey, PA 17033.
Mr. Shimmel’s family family wishes to express their sincere thanks to Dr. Lisa Myers from the Walnut Bottom Family Practice and Dr. Rebecca Bascom of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Pulmonary Unit for their kind care and assistance in his struggle with Pulmonary Fibrosis.
To sign the online guestbook, go to www.beardsleyfuneralhome.com.