Anne Cunningham Shoemaker

Anne Cunningham Shoemaker of Centreville, MD, died Saturday, November 29, 2014, at UMSMC at Easton. She was 92. Born in Boston, MA, on August 26, 1922, she was the daughter of the late George Clarendon and Anne Parker Cunningham. Mrs. Shoemaker graduated from the Buckingham School (now Buckingham Browne & Nichols School) in Cambridge, MA, and Boston University with a degree in Statistics. Leading up to World War II, she served in the Massachusetts Women’s Defense Corps before it was made part of the US Army Women’s Army Corps. After the War, she worked in London with Sir Alexander Fleming in the development of penicillin. Returning to the US, Mrs. Shoemaker worked at Smith, Kline, and French Laboratories (now Glaxo Smith Kline), leaving industry in 1961 to pursue her love of education. She began teaching math at The Baldwin School in the fall of 1961. Mrs. Shoemaker was promoted to head of the Math Dept. in 1964 and became Head of the School in 1970, serving in that role until her retirement in 1980. Mrs. Shoemaker served on numerous educational boards and committees through her time at Baldwin and for many years after her retirement. Among these organizations were The Country School in Easton, MD, the Council for Religion in Independent Schools, the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls, the National Association of Independent Schools, the Board of the Hospice of Queen Anne’s County, and the Vestry of St Luke’s Church, Church Hill, MD. She sat on the Board of the Gunston School in Centreville, MD, for more than 30 years and was a major fundraiser for the new Parish House at St. Luke’s Church Hill and the new facilities at the Hospice of Queen Anne’s County in Centreville. Mrs. Shoemaker was both an avid tennis player and sailor. Her interest in sailing led to her involvement in boating safety and education through the US Power Squadron. Mrs. Shoemaker was the first woman to be elected Commander of the Miles River Power Squadron only a few years after the Power Squadron itself began admitting women as members in 1983. Mrs. Shoemaker met and married her husband, Reed Shoemaker, in 1951. They were married for more than 52 years, raising their two sons in Paoli, PA. Mrs. Shoemaker is survived by her sons, Skip Shoemaker and his wife Sharon of Phoenixville, PA, and Bill Shoemaker and his wife Sarah of Malvern, PA; three grandchildren, Rachel, Gordon and Emily Shoemaker; and her sister, Emily Finch of Chestertown, MD. She was predeceased by her husband, Reed Shoemaker in 2003. A Memorial Service will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 8, 2014, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Centreville, MD. Burial will be private. The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to The Baldwin School, Anne Shoemaker Faculty Enrichment Fund, 701 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.

Anne Cunningham Shoemaker

August 26, 1922 - November 29, 2014