KENT P. SHOEMAKER

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It was announced on anothe board Christmas Eve that Kent P. Shoemaker, 74, co-founder and chairman of the Red River Valley & Western and the Twin Cities & Western railroads in 1987, died on December 21,  at the Breck Homes, Bloomington, Minn. He was the son of onetime DL&W President Perry M.Shoemaker and began his railroad career in 1957 in the Maintenance of Way department of the Baltimore & Ohio. later joined the Soo Line in Minneapolis . He became president and CEO of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton until 1976 and chairman, president and CEO of the Delaware & Hudson Railway from 1978 until 1982.  Mr. Shoemaker also served as a marketing strategies and productivity enhancement consultant.. Funeral services are set at Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis, on Monday, December 29, at noon. The visitation will be on Sunday, December 28, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Gill Brothers Funeral Chapel, 5801 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. Mr. Shoemaker was preceded in death by his wife, Catherine, and is survived by sons Bruce, Glenn and Douglas; daughter-in-law Nancy Weis; two grandchildren; wife, Marie Grifoni; brother Craig, and two sisters, Karen Fitzgerald and Linda Wolfberg.

I remember hosting a dinner meeting for the Sus. Valley Chapt., NRHS with Kent Shoemaker as our guest speaker during this D&H tenure.  He was approachable and open about his role at the D&H and the D&H role in eastern railroading during the Conrail era.  From what I have heard of him from those who have dealt with him and his companies over the years, I understand he was well respected and will be missed.