Obituary of Janet Shumway

Janet L. Shumway (nee Burgwin), 82, of Mountainhome, passed away on Sunday, September 20, 2009 at Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg. A resident of Mountainhome for 22 years, she was the wife of H. Sumner Shumway. Born in Wilkes-Barre on February 24, 1927, she was the daughter of Frank and Marguerite (Grieff) Burgwin. She grew up in Hollis, LI, NY, from the age of five and was a National Honor Student in the Jamaica High School Class of 1944. She attended secretarial school and ended her working career as Secretary to a Vice-President of NY Telephone Co. She married H. Sumner Shumway on November 11, 1945 at the Hollis Methodist Church with the Rev. Gene Fowler officiating. They spent their honeymoon at the Pocono Manor Inn where they also celebrated their 50th anniversary. They would have been married 64 years this November. Janet had a beautiful, well trained voice with a three octave range. She was a Soprano soloist for 35 years in the Hollis and Floral Park Methodist Churches. She was also a member and soloist of the Sperry Choralaires and the Community Singers of Queens. Her favorite performance was singing a duet with Frank Sinatra at a United Way Fund Raiser at Belmont Park Race Track in Long Island, NY in 1964. His partner came down with laryngitis and Janet was asked to fill in; what a thrill of a lifetime! Frank Sinatra was her idol; her favorite song: "Let's Fall in Love". No doubt she is singing along with the angels in heaven. In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children; a son, Gary and his wife Geralyn of E. Setauket, LI, NY, two daughters, Gail and her husband Bruce Guerdan of Beaver, Cindy and her husband George Morgan of Mountainhome; and a brother, Bruce and his wife Florence Burgwin of E. Setauket, LI, NY. She was blessed with seven grandchildren, Jennifer and Alison (Shumway), Brittany Morgan, Stephanie, Christian, Emily and Andrew Guerdan, a great -grandson, Nicholas, son of Jennifer and Kostaki Lintzeris; and several nieces and nephews. The family of Janet would like to thank all for the loving care she received in the ICU at Pocono Medical Center. Cremation is entrusted to the Bolock Funeral Home Crematory. A private memorial service will be held at a later date at Pinelawn Cemetery, Long Island, NY. Memorial donations may be made to the Barrett Volunteer Ambulance Corps, PO Box 105, Cresco, Pa. 18326 or the Barrett Township Volunteer Fire Co., PO Box 1, Buck Hill Falls, Pa. 18323