Born to parents Joseph and Lillian Shemanski on December 28, 1934, he grew up in Edwardsville, PA. At the age of 20, he enlisted in the Navy and served overseas in the Philippines as a cryptologist. He then attended Wilkes College in Scranton PA and graduated with a BS in Business Administration. He was the first in his family to receive a college degree.
After college, he married Mary Constance Walsh and moved to Bowie, MD. He worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance for several years before beginning a career at the National Security Agency (NSA). He retired after 30+ years of government service as a Budget Director for the agency.
He was predeceased by his parents, sister Betty and brother-in-law Joe Feldman. Joseph is survived by his wife Connie Shemanski, daughters Connie Johnson and Susan Harrington, sons-in-law Craig Johnson and Frank Harrington, granddaughters Meghan Harrington and Kaitlyn Harrington, sister Dorothy Gordon, brother-in-law Ted Gordon, sister-in-law Ann Marie Feldman and a number of nieces, nephews and friends.
He loved fishing, softball, hiking and the Redskins, but most of all he loved doing things for his family. He will always be remembered as a fun and loving husband, father, brother, uncle and friend to all that knew and loved him.