Richard W. Shires

Richard W. Shires passed away, with his two daughters by his side, on May 14, 2023, in Thornwald Skilled Nursing facility. Rich was born in Lansford, PA on September 2, 1931, to the late Norman Franklin and Elizabeth Ann (Richards) Shires.

Rich graduated from Lansford High School in 1949. He served in the Army during the Korean War from 1952-1955. The majority of his service was spent at Cape Price of Wales AFS later known as Tin City AFS in Alaska. It was there that he made a friend, Harold, from the Allentown area, who later would introduce Rich to the love of his life on a blind date. He married Anita L. Linde on June 3, 1956. They spent nearly 63 years of marriage until her death in March 2019.

Following his marriage to Anita, Rich took advantage of the GI Bill and enrolled in the Forestry program at Penn State in 1958, graduating in 1962. He then worked as a forester in the Clearfield and Ligonier areas. In 1966 he made a career change by becoming a computer programmer at the Naval Base in Mechanicsburg, moving his family to Dillsburg and then Boiling Springs.

In his spare time, Rich was an avid fly fisherman, hunter, gardener, and Penn State fan. He belonged to Trout Unlimited, The Letort Regulars, and Yellow Breeches Anglers. He was instrumental in organizing, along with his brother Norm, the annual Fly Fishers Club of Harrisburg. He was also a faithful member of the First United Church of Christ in Carlisle, for which he volunteered his time for many projects. He, along with Anita, were also active members of NARFE.

Rich was preceded in death by his wife Anita, as well as his beloved brother and sister-in-law Norm and Ruth Shires. He is survived by his daughters and their husbands, April L. (Shires) and John Messenger and Tamara L. (Shires) and William Diehl, all of Newville. He also leaves behind his three grandsons, Zachary Messenger (Izzy) of Knightdale, NC, Ethan Messenger (Kalee) of Chambersburg, and Eli Diehl of Phoenix, AZ and 4 great-grandchildren Logan, Sadie, Eleanor, and Ada Messenger whom he loved to no end.

The family would like to thank the many people who helped care for Dad after Mom’s passing beginning with Lisa Bender at home, the Personal Care team and then Skilled Nursing team at Thornwald as well as staff and nurses at the Hilman Cancer Infusion Center on Jessica Ct., Carlisle, and finally the staff of Residential Hospice. The love and care these folks extended toward our dad was remarkable.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at First United Church of Christ at 30 N. Pitt St., Carlisle, PA, with visitation at 12:00 followed by the service at 1:00. Hoffman Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Interment will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First United Church of Christ, 30 N. Pitt Street Carlisle, PA 17013; Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc., P.O. Box 695, LaPlata, MD 20646 or online at projecthealingwaters.org/donate (you can request that the donation be earmarked for Central PA); or to Residential Hospice, 100 Sterling Parkway Suite 110, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com.