Yale '62 - Obituaries - Conrad C. Shimer



Conrad C. Shimer

Born: May 16, 1940
Died: September 13, 1996

Born in Easton, Pennsylvania, he came to Yale from Nazareth (PA) Area High School. An active member of Trumbull College, Connie was on the council, its softball captain, and on its basketball and baseball teams. He began his notable undergraduate career serving on the Freshman Activities Committee. He went on to join Delta Kappa Epsilon and Book and Snake. Connie's exploits in the gridiron are well remembered by all; he starred on the undefeated 1960 team and was a mainstay of the 1961 varsity our Senior year. He was awarded his major Y in football.

Connie was an American Studies major and after graduation received his law degree from Dickinson School of Law.

He was a partner in the law office of Teel, Stettz, Shimer & DiGiacomo Ltd., with offices in Nazareth and Easton, since 1970. From 1965-70, he practiced law with his father at the former Shimer & Shimer, in Nazareth.

His concentration was in real estate, banking, wills and trusts, estate planning and administration. He was a member of the Northampton County, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations and Northampton County Bar Association Fee Dispute Committee. He was admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Northampton County Court of Common Pleas.

He was a member and former deacon of St. John's United Church of Christ, Nazareth. He was president of Northampton Country Club, Easton; president and director of The Will R. Beitel Children's Community Foundation; trustee and former president of the Nazareth YMCA; treasurer and past president and board member of Maskenozha Rod & Gun Club, Bushkill Township, and a member of the Yale Club of New York City.

He was a past solicitor for Nazareth, Lower Nazareth Township, Lower Nazareth Municipal Authority, Northampton County Clerk of Orphans Court and Trumbower Hospital Foundation, Inc.

Connie was a president and director of Nazareth Area Chamber of Commerce; a past member of the Nazareth Area Jaycees and Lehigh Valley Yale Alumni Schools of Committee; a president of the Nazareth Rotary Club; a treasurer of the Greater Lehigh Valley Girl Scout Council; a director of LARC; and a campaign manager of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Red Cross. Connie's wife, his mother and his daughter all attended Hood College, Frederick, Maryland, and as a result the College invited Connie to serve as a trustee which he did for 18 years.

Connie was the husband of Judith A. Washko Shimer. Their marriage spanned 33 years. In addition to his widow, he was survived by two sons, Charles C. of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Jonathan A. now of Alexandria, Virginia; a daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Richard L. Murphy of Pleasanton, California; and a brother, Howard A. of Bath, Pennsylvania. At the time of his death he had one grandchild. There are now a total of four.

Despite his busy life in the community and charitable service, Connie was always deeply involved with his family. His sons recall fondly summers spent fly fishing and golfing. On his 50th birthday, he passed out special matchbooks labeled, "Connie Shimer, Squire - Golfer." And true always to Yale, the family dog, a bulldog, was named Eli.

Connie died of lung cancer after a 3 month illness.