Richard “Shef” Shefchunas, 70, of Youngsville, NC, died Sunday, July 21, 2013. He has been taken into the loving arms of Jesus after an unexpected illness.
Born in Oil City, PA on February 26, 1943, he was the son of the late Joe and Stella Shefchunas.
He graduated from Oil City high school and served six years in the US Army Reserves. As a teen, Shef began working as a packer for PennTraffic-Riverside market. During his 47 year career with PennTraffic, he worked his way up to produce clerk, produce manager, regional supervisor and vice president of perishable operations. He made his career in produce and the grocery business, liked working with plants and always had a garden. He married Kathy, the love of his life, on June 19, 1971. Shef and Kathy have four children: son Steven and daughters Julie, Terri and Linda and the couple recently celebrated 42 years of marriage.
A devout Catholic, he attended St. Catherine’s of Sienna church and put his faith into practice through his patience and kindness toward others. Shef was known for his friendly, easy-going personality and good sense of humor. He was a hard worker with a strong love of family. Shef enjoyed travel and had visited Germany, England, France, Mexico, Scotland, Denmark, Chile, Costa Rica, Jamaica, the Bahamas and several trips to Arizona, Hawaii and California. Since he was a boy, Shef liked automobiles, including antique car shows and owned a 37 Chevy and 62 Impala. He was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Lithuanian Club of DuBois.
After retiring in 2007, he and wife Kathy moved to North Carolina where they made their home in Youngsville. While they liked taking trips and having family get-togethers, Shef and Kathy were also happy with little things like caring for their pets and going for ice cream.
Shef is survived by his wife Kathy of Youngsville; son Steven Shefchunas, daughter Julie and her husband Steve Buskirk and their daughter Madison, daughter Linda Rush, and daughter Terri Anastasi, all of Raleigh; as well as brother Tom and sister-in-law Sandy Shefchunas of Atlanta, GA; a sister-in-law Gayle and her husband Mike Morgado of Hanford, CA; four grandchildren, a great granddaughter, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and cousins.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Catherine’s of Sienna Catholic Church on Wednesday, July 24 at 11am with Father Tom Duggan officiating. Burial will be at Pine Forest Memorial Gardens in Wake Forest.
Shef’s life personified the Bible verse Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Shef’s memory to Hospice of Wake County, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.
Family and friends will be received from 6pm to 8pm on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at Bright Funeral Home, 405 South Main, Wake Forest, NC 27587.