Kenneth Paul Shrum

Kenneth Paul Shrum, 84, passed from this life on the 2nd of November, 2018, at Clovis Community Hospital in Clovis, California, after a lengthy illness. A rosary will be held this Friday, November 9, 2018 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 929 Harvard Avenue, Clovis, Ca. at 7:00 p.m. The funeral will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. The final resting place will occur at St. Peters Cemetery.

Kenneth was born on June 28, 1934, in Hartford, Arkansas, to Paul and Thelma Shrum. His parents moved the family to Fresno, California during the Dust Bowl, with dreams of opportunity for Kenneth and his two sisters in California. After graduating from Fresno High School in 1953, Kenneth held several jobs including serving two years in the National Guard as well as a lineman for the Telephone Company; finally finding his true calling in law enforcement. He joined the Madera Police Department in 1960 as a patrolman working his way to sergeant. In 1971 he was chosen to be the first Chief of Police of the State Center Community College District and wrote the accreditation grants that established State Center Community College Police Department as a recognized police department in the State of California. Kenneth Shrum retired from the SCCCD in 1997 and worked three more years as an investigator for the Fresno District Attorney’s office, ultimately achieving 40 years in service to law enforcement.

It was also through his law enforcement career that Kenneth met the love of his life, his wife, Lupe Canales-Shrum. He inspired and encouraged her love of police work and she guided him to a relationship with Jesus Christ where they will be eternally bound. Together they shared a loving partnership where family came first.

Kenneth leaves behind his loving wife, Lupe Canales-Shrum, his daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and much loved friends. We are heartbroken at his passing, but forever grateful for the loving memories that we now cherish, and take comfort in knowing he is at peace.

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