Former Rep. Norman D. Shumway, a six-term California congressman, dies at age 88
Norman D. Shumway, a lawyer and lawmaker who served six terms in Congress following two as a county supervisor in California’s Central Valley, died Tuesday. He was 88.
Born in Phoenix before graduating from Stockton High School and earning an associate’s degree from Stockton College, Shumway served in local, state and federal government for more than two decades, first taking office on the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors in 1974 and winning re-election in 1978.
Shumway, a Republican, then served six two-year terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing California’s 14th Congressional District from 1979 through 1991. The area at the time represented parts of San Joaquin County, as well as areas of Placer, El Dorado and Nevada counties.
After choosing not to seek re-election in 1990, Shumway went on to become a member of the California Public Utilities Commission, serving under former Gov. Pete Wilson from 1991 through 1995.
Prior to his career in public service, Shumway was a Stockton-based attorney who taught classes at San Joaquin Delta College.
Shumway was one of only two House members during his tenure to be fluent in Japanese, meaning he was often selected to lead congressional delegations to Japan, lawmakers noted as they read the resolution dedicating the post office building in Stockton.
A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Shumway served as bishop of Stockton’s 2nd Ward from 1969 to 1974. He also journeyed multiple times to Japan, first as a missionary from 1954 to 1958, and most recently, in 2013, on an 18-month ordinance worker visit at Tokyo Japan Temple.
Shumway published an autobiography, titled “Times and Seasons of Norman D. Shumway,” in 2009.
Shumway died Tuesday at his home in Utah, according to an obituary published by the Deseret News in Salt Lake City. He had been recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, according to his family.
He is survived by his wife, Luana; children Jenny Weatherford, Neal Shumway, Perry Shumway, Tyler Shumway, Stuart Shumway and Brenda Bethers; 35 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at the Stone Creek Stake Center in Bountiful, Utah.
