Manager at Gibsonburg plant began his career on shop floor

12/7/2002

GIBSONBURG, Ohio - Jack Schumaker, a former executive of Atlas Industries, Inc., whose career through the ranks began as a worker on the factory floor, died yesterday in Toledo Hospital of a brain hemorrhage. He was 73.

He worked for the Sandusky County-based machining firm for 35 years, retiring in 1995. He started in the factory and became, through promotions, plant manager in Gibsonburg and corporate director of purchasing.

“He was in supply and inventory control and he worked his way up to plant manager,” said Harley Pertner, a friend for 65 years. “He was in an administrative capacity. He liked the work, and he was very mechanically inclined. He knew his stuff. And if he didn't know about it, he found out about it. He was a real go-getter.”

Mr. Schumaker served one term on Gibsonburg Village Council in the 1990s, former councilman Bob Schell said.

“He decided to run, and he got elected,” said Mr. Schell, who was a council member for 24 years. “He was pretty well-known around town. He was very well thought of. He was just a friendly guy and was willing to help everybody.''

Mr. Pertner said: “He just decided he wanted to help the community.”

Mr. Schumaker, a village native, was a 1947 graduate of Gibsonburg High School and worked at the local lime plant for a short time before he and Mr. Pertner joined the Navy. He sold insurance afterward.

He liked to play golf and, in retirement, he and his wife, Rosalyn, traveled.

Mr. Schumaker and his wife married Nov. 10, 1951. She died Oct. 4.

Surviving are his daughters, Cathy Layman and Susan Damschroder; sons, John II, Andy, and Greg “Butch” Schumaker; sister, Virginia Driftmyer; brother, Harold Schumaker; 10 grandchildren, and a step-great-granddaughter.

The body will be in the Nopper-Veh Mortuary, Gibsonburg, after 6 p.m. tomorrow. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in St. Michael Church, Gibsonburg, of which he was a member.

The family requests tributes to the church or to a charity of the donor's choice.