John B. Eshelman

John B. Eshelman, 88, of Lancaster, died in the tender, loving care of Hospice of Lancaster County, Mount Joy, on Wednesday evening August 18, 2010. He was born in 1922 in Lancaster, the son of the late Howard J. Eshelman and Valeria B. Eshelman. He attended Manheim Township Schools, Franklin & Marshall Academy, Phillips Exeter Academy, The University of North Carolina and Franklin & Marshall College. His first marriage was to Eleanor Shaub, of Lancaster, in 1944. She died in 1950, leaving three children. Jack, as he was known, served in the U.S. 15th Air Force as a combat pilot flying B-17 bombers out of Italy over Europe during World War II. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross with the Air Medal with three clusters. After his military service, he joined his family's business, John W. Eshelman & Sons, national animal feed manufacturers, where he served in many capacities and finally as Vice-President of Sales. Jack married Rosa Owings, of York, in 1954 and they had five children. In 1975 he and his family sold their business to the Carnation Company and he became a registered stock broker with Elkins, Stroud, Supplee, of Philadelphia. After several mergers this firm became part of Prudential Securities, from which he retired in 1987. He served on several boards, among which were the American Feed Manufacturers Association where he was vice chairman, The Lancaster General Hospital as a member of the Executive Committee, and the Lancaster Country Club where he served a term as president. In addition, he participated in many local fund raising drives for various charitable organizations and served on the original Lancaster Water Authority. He was also an amateur genealogist and somewhat author. Jack is survived by his wife Rosa, and six sons, John Holland Eshelman, husband of Sharon Wilshire Eshelman, of Chapel Hill, N.C.; Thomas Wade Eshelman, husband of the Rev. Jeanne Finan, of Banner Elk, N.C.; Andrew Owings Eshelman, husband of Catherine Moody Eshelman, of Chevy Chase, Md.; Thaddeus Owings Eshelman, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Roger Baker Eshelman, husband of Amelia Stauffer. of Carbondale, Co.; and Henry Owings Eshelman, husband of Victoria Elaine Miller, of Encino, Calif.; and two daughters, Anne Eshelman, wife of the late Walter I. Thurston, of Palo Alto, Calif., and Dorsey Eshelman Elliott, wife of Mark Tyre Elliott, of Charlotte, N.C.; and 20 grandchildren. A Celebration of Jack's Life will be held at the Lancaster Country Club on Tuesday August 24, 2010 at 10:30 am. The family will greet friends after the service. Interment will be private and held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Lancaster County, 685 Good Drive, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125, or Lancaster County Conservancy, 117 S. West End Ave., P.O. Box 716, Lancaster, PA 17608-0716.

John B. Eshelman

August 19, 2010