He grew up in Mooringsport, Louisiana with two sisters, Bobbie Jo and Jeanne and his brother, Bill. John attended elementary school, junior high school and high school in Mooringsport. His family then moved to Lumberton, Mississippi where he completed his senior year and met Joan Mobley, his future wife. After high school he attended the University of Southern Mississippi, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry and minor in math. He was involved in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) at USM and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation.
After marriage to Joan Mobley, the Army sent them to Wildwood Station on the Kenai Peninsula in the territory of Alaska. He served two years at Wildwood Station, before he resigned his commission and moved back to the south taking a Petroleum Engineering job with Gulf Oil Company. He worked for Gulf and Chevron for the next 38 years, ending his career as a manager over three states for Chevron. After retiring from Chevron, he enjoyed twenty-five years of RV travels, camping in numerous locations in Canada and the United States with Joan.
He was a long serving choir member and Deacon at First Baptist Church of Lumberton.
John is preceded in death by his parents, John Ulma and Margaret Elizabeth Shamburger; sisters, Bobby Ingram and Jeanne Cochran and his brother, Bill Shamburger.
Left to forever cherish his memory are his wife of 69 years, Joan Shamburger; daughter, Lauri (Tommy) Byrd, of Brandon, MS; sons, John Perry (Lynn) Shamburger and Jim (Wanda) Shamburger of Lake Charles, LA; grandchildren, Michael Shamburger, Katie (Eric) Tarver, Rebecca (Mike) Guynes, Adam (Katherine) Byrd, Jessica Byrd, Anna (Andrew) Frazier and India (Conner) Hemphill; great-grandchildren, Braelyn, Ryen, Allie, Madden, Darby, Graham, Millie, Brooks, Cam, Eden and another expected great-grandchild along with a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services, officiated by Reverend Clifford Lazenby, will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at First Baptist Church of Lumberton at 1:00 PM. Friends are invited to join the family for visitation from noon until the service begins. Burial will immediately follow at Lumberton City Cemetery.
