Jerry Leroy Shumway

Jerry Leroy Shumway passed away peacefully on 10 March 2026 after a long illness. He is survived by his sons Martin Shumway of McLean VA and Scott Shumway of Hinesburg VT and four grandchildren, by his brother Robert Shumway of Arlington VA and his family, and by his partner Janet Schweig of Herndon VA and her children. 

Jerry was born on 2 June 1933 to Milton Shumway and Inez Shumway (nee Johnson) residing in Lyons NE. He attended high school there, becoming an Eagle scout and a licensed HAM radio operator. Jerry attended the University of Nebraska, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering while participating in Air Force ROTC. Jerry played clarinet in the Cornhuskers marching band and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Following graduation in 1955 Jerry worked first at Hughes Aircraft in Los Angeles, then in 1956 took an appointment as second lieutenant stationed in Nagoya, Japan. Jerry left the service as first lieutenant and settled in San Francisco, living in the North Beach area which at the time was a center of the “Beat” movement. In 1960 Jerry met and married Kirsten Signy Schulz of Oslo, Norway, an embassy staffer at the Norwegian consulate in San Francisco. They settled in Mill Valley CA with their two children, Martin born 1961, and Scott born 1963. While in the Bay Area Jerry worked on several landmark engineering projects, including an early mobile telephone system. In 1969 Jerry started his own company, Datavision Inc, and relocated the family to Rockville MD. Datavision made the first chyron generator for broadcast television, which is known to viewers today as the lettering that scrolls across the lower screen warning of storms and the like. Jerry went on to found another company, Scanoptic, and in his later career worked for Northrup Grumman, finally retiring at age 73. Through his career Jerry earned several patents for electrical engineering applications. 

Jerry met Janet Schweig following the death of his wife Kirsten in 2001. In retirement Jerry took up playing the bass and then the fiddle, becoming active in the Potomac Valley Scottish Fiddle club, attending music festivals and camps throughout the East. While continuing to live in the family home, Jerry enjoyed visiting with friends at Starbucks, having lunch at Attman’s deli in Rockville, and walking on the Millennium Trail in Rockville. Jerry will be remembered for his kindness and generosity.