Thomas Richard Schumaker

Thomas R. Schumaker
Highland Beach, Fla. 

Tom Schumaker, 86, died peacefully on January 7, 2025, at a hospice in Delray Beach, Fla., following several months of declining health.

He was born August 6, 1938, the youngest son of J. Earl and Gladys Schumaker, and raised on the family farm in Bippus, Ind. He attended local schools and was captain of his basketball team at Chester High School in North Manchester. Following graduation, he attended North Manchester Community College.

In 1961, he married Eldia Mae Lewis of Wabash, Ind. They were together for 36 years until her death in 1997.

Deciding that farm life was not for him, Tom embarked on a long and successful newspaper career, although right up until his passing he never failed to remind anyone he met that he was “just a farm kid from Bippus.”

Tom started at the Wabash Plain Dealer as a sportswriter, and went on to became sports editor and then editor. He was recruited to be executive editor of a short-lived newspaper in Bloomington, Ind., and then became managing editor at the competing newspaper in Bloomington, the Herald-Telephone, now known as the Herald-Times.  He left Indiana in 1971 to become editor at the Boca Raton News in Florida, and a few years later Knight-Ridder transferred him to the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota as the managing editor, later becoming general manager and publisher. He was recruited to be publisher of Transcript-Telegram in Holyoke, Mass. and then took a similar position at the nearby Greenfield Recorder.

Tom finished his newspaper career as publisher of Knight-Ridder’s Keynoter in Marathon, Fla., where he also hosted a popular television interview program on the local access channel. He retired in 1999 and moved to Highland Beach, Fla., where he lived for next 25 years.

Tom was a compassionate and fearless editor and publisher who stood up for the underdog and was never afraid to take a stand against corruption, discrimination and injustice. He had lifelong friendships from his newspaper days and was a valued mentor to many young reporters who went on to have successful newspaper careers of their own.

Tom is survived by his loving daughter, Mandy Schumaker, of Yarmouth, Maine, her husband, Ted O’Meara, and their two sons, Quin and Cade O’Meara, with whom he shared many a grandfather’s life lessons and a passion for sports (especially basketball) and investing. He also is survived by a son, Troy, his wife, Loretta and their daughters, Zipporah and Alannah, of Colorado. In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by his older brothers, Bob and Jim, who remained in Indiana.

Tom will be remembered by all who knew him for his kindness, generosity and ever-present sense of humor. His family expresses their heartfelt thanks to Camille Warren and Trudy Forbes for the loving care they gave Tom in his final months and to Trustbridge hospice care for their incredible support that allowed to Tom to pass with peace and dignity. He will be buried next to his wife in Pompano Beach, Fla., following a private graveside service.

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