Richard Thomas Shankweiler

Richard Thomas Shankweiler died on October 9, 2019. He was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania on January 22, 1931 to Lila Thomas Shankweiler, an English teacher, and Fred K. Shankweiler, a chemical engineer. Richard attended 13 different schools before entering college due to his father’s job but was happiest his last two years at Mamaroneck High School in Mamaroneck, NY. He loved to tell the story that he graduated high school in the bottom 1/5th of his class and was known as not only the class clown but the “boy most likely to”. He began his college career (with help from his grandfather getting him in) at Penn State and thrived in his new found freedom and the vast array of courses available to him. Richard later transferred to the University of Miami where he graduated cum laude with degrees in Philosophy and History. He loved his professors and the diversity among the students. It was one of the happiest times of his life. He also loved University of Miami football, basketball and baseball and any team who beat The Gators! Richard went on to Duke University School of Law. While helping to put himself through law school and support his family, (his son, Kevin was born during his senior year), he worked driving a cab and also had a nighttime radio show called “Dick Thomas’s Night Train.” Richard graduated law school in 1956 and started practicing law in Miami. He and his family moved to Fort Lauderdale one year later where he eventually became a partner with Patterson, Maloney and Shankweiler. He later opened his own practice until he retired in 1991. Richard was a brilliant lawyer earning a Martindale-Hubbel AV rating and was Bar Registered. His love of sports led him to start a baseball team consisting of local lawyers and named The Legal Eagles. They competed against local businesses in the area and became city champions in the late 60s. Richard loved to travel and was particularly fond of Sweden. He and Barbara traveled yearly to Sweden visiting Barbara’s family and friends. His beloved grandmother, Sallie Mae Shankweiler, a Moravian seminary graduate, was instrumental in Richard’s love of the Bible and taught him to read at a young age. Her influence never left him. His thirst for knowledge and love of reading continued throughout his life. He later took a break from the law practice and attended Boston University School of Theology where he and Steve Brown were roommates. Steve became a pastor, an author, a seminary professor and a radio broadcaster on Key Life Network. Richard served at West Parish of Barnstable, Massachusetts on Cape Cod from 1965-1967. It is the oldest Congregational Church in the world which began in 1616. Richard left ministry and returned to the law practice in 1967 because as he said “he never found God.” In 1990 while reading a book on the Church of England God found him. He began attending First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale where he immersed himself in Bible studies. He taught himself Biblical Hebrew and Greek to further his understanding of the Bible. He also became a brilliant and enthusiastic Bible teacher at Gracepoint Church. Richard at age 83 taught himself Spanish so that he could better communicate with our good friends and former neighbors who are from Columbia, and, of course, to speak to every Spanish speaking person he came in contact with! Richard was precedeased by his brother, Philip K. Shankweiler, of Houston, Texas. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Barbara, his beloved sons, of whom he was so proud, Kevin (Song), of Ogden, Utah, Christopher, of Plymouth, Minnesota, Matthew (Rebeccah), of Plymouth, Minnesota, 3 beloved and precious granddaughters, Annika, Lauren, and Morgan, of Plymouth, Minnesota, and our beloved “adopted” daughter, Sandra M. Schulze of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Richard’s name to Graceplace School.org, c/o Elizabeth Coldren, Director, which works to free local youth from sex trafficking and other destructive lifestyles, P.O. Box 668876, Pompano Beach, Florida 33066. A Celebration Of Life service will take place on Saturday, October 26th, 2019, at 11:00 AM, 5590 NE 6th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334.