John A. Shinpaugh

John A. Shinpaugh, Lt. Col., USAF Retired, husband of Hazel N. (Bitler) Shinpaugh, W. Norriton Twp., PA, died Friday, January 30, 2026, at Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital, E. Norriton Twp., PA. He was 88 years old.

John was born on April 14, 1937, in Maryville, TN, to the late William A. and Orlena M. (Riddle) Shinpaugh. He earned a BA degree in Bible, Religious Education with a minor in English from Carson Newman University and an MS degree in Management from the University of Arkansas.

John served 25 years as a military intelligence officer in the US Air Force, joining in July 1959 and retiring in December 1984 as a Lieutenant Colonel. During his military career he was stationed in the following locations: San Angelo and San Antonio, TX; Brindisi, Italy; Colorado Springs, CO; Taipei, Taiwan; Felixstowe, Ipswich, Needingworth, and Alconbury, England; Tampa, FL; Hampton, VA; and a deployment in southeast Asia during the Vietnam war. John was awarded the following honors: Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, AF Commendation Medal, AF Outstanding Unit Award, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, AF Longevity Service Award Ribbon with five oak leaf cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Following his retirement from the Air Force, he was in security and other programs for General Electric’s Aerospace Center, in King of Prussia, PA.

John was a member of Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church where he was very passionate about his faith and Sunday school. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and avidly researched his family genealogy and gave presentations on genealogy research.

In addition to his wife, John is survived by his children, Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh and his partner Elizabeth Post, Catawba, VA, Dr. Gianna Frazee, Mill Valley, CA, and Patrick Shinpaugh, Blacksburg, VA, his step-children, Cathy (Heft), wife of Richard Sacks, Harleysville, PA, and Lance, husband of Heather (Pitcher) Heft, Chester Springs, PA; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son John Shinpaugh in childhood and sister Karen Eskew.

John’s funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, February 9th, at Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. David Larkin, Pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery. Friends may call from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, Monday, at church. Memorial contributions may be made to Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church, 1921 W. Main St., Norristown, PA 19403 or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org). Arrangements are by Holcombe Funeral Home, Inc., Trappe, PA.