OBITUARY: Theodore V. Shumeyko, PR specialist, community activist, 81 (05/23/04)

OBITUARY: Theodore V. Shumeyko, PR specialist, community activist, 81

by Helen Smindak

NEW YORK - Theodor V. Shumeyko, a New York public relations specialist for a half-century who was known for his integrity and sense of humor, died of heart failure at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., on March 16. His death, at age 81, came a week and a half after he was hospitalized for a broken hip incurred in a fall.

A lifelong supporter of Ukrainian culture, especially of music, Mr. Shumeyko was highly active in the Ukrainian Youth League of North America and the Metropolitan Chorus of New York and New Jersey during the 1940s. He also contributed numerous articles to The Ukrainian Weekly, assisting the work of his brother, The Ukrainian Weekly's founding editor Stephen Shumeyko.

Mr. Shumeyko, who used the name Ted, was director of public and community relations for Monsanto Chemstrand, then went on to become director of public relations and publicity for Burlington Industries.

He operated his own marketing/communications firm, The Shumeyko Group, for 10 years, handling clients like Dan River and the Nonwovens Association, before joining T.J. Ross & Associates in 1982. A few years later he was elected vice-president of T.J. Ross by the board of directors.

At Monsanto, Mr. Shumeyko helped to launch the popular product Saran Wrap. While at Burlington, he arranged to build a street-level miniature textile mill at West 54th Street and Sixth Avenue that became a major tourist attraction.

He was known for the "bunch lunches" he organized for decades at New York's famous Sardi's restaurant and for thoughtful gifts delivered to newsrooms, from a knapsack containing a pair of roller skates and a box of red pencils (for a new managing editor) to a cushy white toilet seat (sent to a reporter who broke the story of Seventh Avenue showrooms being burglarized while staffers were in the rest room).

In an obituary that appeared in Women's Wear Daily, retired WWD textile editor Marvin Klapper told writer Scott Malone that "all (Mr. Shumeyko's) dealings were completely aboveboard. He never would do anything that was not ethical."

Norman Karr, retired director of Jeanswear Communications, said he admired Mr. Shumeyko's "light touch in working with the press - he could tell the story of a company he was representing without making people feel their arms were being twisted."

Born in Newark, N. J., one of seven children of Ukrainian immigrants Tekla Sydiaha Shumeyko and Michael Shumeyko, Mr. Shumeyko served with the U.S. Army in World War II. After graduation from Seton Hall University, he began working in public relations and advertising agencies, joining Chemstrand in 1962 as director of global publicity and communications.

Proud of his Ukrainian heritage, Mr. Shumeyko was active in the Ukrainian Youth League of North America, serving as financial secretary in 1947-1948 and as vice-president in 1948-1949. During those years, he also worked on the League's official publication, The Ukrainian Trend, either as associate editor or editor, and its sister publication, The Bulletin.

Daniel Slobodian, former administrator of the Soyuzivka resort, who succeeded Mr. Shumeyko as UYL-NA president, recalls "the uncontrollable enthusiasm" Mr. Shumeyko radiated while planning and attending Youth League rallies, managing a basketball playoff in New York, and organizing and publicizing the "Echoes of Ukraine" concert in 1950.

Mr. Slobodian remembers that Mr. Shumeyko had "a good, stong bass and a great love for Ukrainian music - so for years he was a member of the Metropolitan Chorus of New York and New Jersey directed by Stephen Marusevich."

Funeral services were held at St. Paul's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ramsey, N.J., and burial took place at George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, N.J.

Mr. Shumeyko is survived by his wife, Slavka (Sue) née Syrotiuk; three sons, Evan, Mark and Bob; a daughter, Susan Jill Mulhere; two sisters, Annie Sedlak and Sophie Bukata Shumeyko, and seven grandchildren.

The family has asked that memorial donations be sent to the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, 277 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills, N.J. 07078.

| Home Page |