Stanley Shmishkiss

PEABODY — Stanley Shmishkiss, age 93, late of Peabody, died on Tuesday, January 22 in the Peabody Glen Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Born in Lynn, he was the son of the late Joseph Shmishkiss and Rose (Jaffee) Shmishkiss and resided on the North Shore his entire life. He graduated from Lynn Classical High School and the University of New Hampshire and received a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Boston University in 1954. A veteran of World War II, he served six years in the military as an officer in the US Army.

Shmishkiss was the owner of a large real estate and insurance agency in Lynn started by his late father Joseph in 1903.

In 1955 he became involved with the local chapter of the American Cancer Society at the urging of the late publisher of the Lynn Daily Evening Item. In 1963 he joined the Massachusetts Division's Board of Directors and in 1971 was elected to the National Board, where he served as Secretary, Treasurer, and then Chairman of the Board of the American Cancer Society.

After completing his two terms as chairmanship of the Board of Directors, he went on to found the America Cancer Society Foundation and was personally responsible for raising more than $60 million from corporate America's most prominent citizens, Hollywood celebrities, and Fortune 500 executives for cancer research worldwide while never drawing a penny for himself or being personally touched by the dreaded disease. He referred to his work with the Cancer Society as a "labor of love" and gave more than half his life to this cause. A portrait of Shmishkiss is prominently displayed at the National Headquarters of the American Cancer Society in Atlanta alongside Lillian Disney, the widow of Walt Disney, and well-known humor columnist Erma Bombeck, both of whom died of cancer.

In addition to his work with the Cancer Society, Shmishkiss was a former member of Temple Beth El in Swampscott (now Congregation Shirat Hayam), as well as a former trustee of the Lynn Institution for Savings, Director of Lynn Hospital, trustee of both the Massachusetts General Hospital Corporation and Children's Hospital. He was also a past president of both the Greater Lynn Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Kiwanis Club, and the North Shore Chapter of the University of New Hampshire.

He was a devoted father of Richard Shmishkiss and his wife Jane Moscow of Canton and Joan (Shmishkiss) Lawrence and her husband John Lawrence of Methuen as well as a dear grandfather to Laura Shmishkiss, Trevor Lawrence, and Bryan Lawrence. He was also the cherished brother of the late Louise Seiberg and the late Evelyn Caplen and leaves two nephews, Stanton Seiberg and Jonathan Seiberg. He also leaves behind his former wife Pearl (Bernfeld) Shmishkiss of Danvers.

Service Information: A graveside funeral service will be held on Friday January 25 at 11:00 a.m. at the Temple Beth Cemetery on Lowell Street in Peabody. Memorial observances in his memory will be held at the home of Richard Shmishkiss and Jane Moscow, 125A Revere Street in Canton on Sunday, January 27 from 1:00 P.M. through 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in his memory may be donated to the American Cancer Society, 250 William Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.