Jay Shumsky

Shumsky, Jay
left this earth on February 12, 2009. Although his health had been steadily declining each year since his open-heart surgery, it was still a shock to all of us. He was a young man, only 52, so he packed an awful lot of living into that relatively short life span. Born in Sewickly, Pennsylvania on October 18, 1956 to Jim and Helen (Harasin) Shumsky, he decided as a young man after standing out in the cold on a flight line at an airforce base in New Jersey: there's GOT to be someplace warmer than this! He and his first wife packed up their truck and drove west, arriving in Phoenix on a day in August where he might have considered turning around and driving back to New Jersey again! He fell in love with Arizona in general and Phoenix in particular and ended up staying for 30 years. He loved hiking the state and the natural beauty of the state. He met Renee Bartlett in 1989 through the Omega organization where they were both volunteers and they were married on Sept. 21, 1991 in Sedona and they settled into their home with their two Scotties, Barkley and Aurora, and just enjoyed life! Steeler games on Sundays found a certain "rat pack" around for the duration, and he and his buddies watched football all day and enjoyed a wide variety of food. (you all know who you are) Football wasn't all of course - there was hiking with the dogs all around the great state of Arizona, rafting trips down the Grand Canyon, summer swims and barbeques at the house, talking outside in the evenings with the neighbors in the Fall and the Spring, planting every type of thing he could possibly think of in the yard, including 80 rose bushes! and of course racing his Mustang Saleen everywhere, even to just go to the store. (yes, there have been LOTS of speeding tickets) Jay was known & respected as a healer - really no other word applies, and I know that is not a word used here in the States much, but that is what he was. He helped people with chronic pain and he was excellent at it - using a mixture of deep tissue massage, neuromuscular re-education work, water therapy, and then his special blend of herbs, many of his products were the result of many years of trial and error. His lifelong friends Max Van Orman and Peter Busnack were around for the entire 30 years he was in Phoenix, and they were an important part of his healing arts work, especially in the early years. Many clients have been with Jay as long as Renee, and she and Jay always thought of them as extended family, and came to know them and love them well. How lucky we all were to gather in Las Vegas 2 years ago and celebrate his 50th birthday! Twenty eight family and extended family gathered for that evening and what a party it was! Survivors include brother Glenn in Aliquippa, PA, and a sister Rebecca, brother-in-law Tom, nieces JJ and Madison in Phoenix. It will be easy to remember Jay: when the Steelers play and you're eating a pierogi, when you see a Scottish terrier, or watch Tour de France, or when you hear Carlos Santana play his guitar or when you hear a racing engine, when you smell a rose, Jay will linger near....and bring you a smile, I guarantee it. From Renee, heart and soul. Thanks for always being so good to my Mom and Dad, Jay. A Memorial service is being planned and a date for that will be communicated by Renee to all of the "extended family" as soon as possible.