Roland Herbert Shackford

1908 - 1998  (89 years)

• Name	Roland Herbert Shackford  [1, 2]
  Birth	13 Mar 1908	Westbrook, Cumberland, Maine   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Death	6 Feb 1998	Cockeysville, Baltimore, Maryland   [3, 5]
  Person ID	I372194	Descendants of William Hascall of Fontmell Magna (1490-1542)
  Last Modified	26 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	Marvin Leon Shackford,   b. 9 Aug 1880, Maine d. 16 Feb 1964, Yarmouth, Cumberland, Maine (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Edith May Bodkin,   b. 1886, Maine d. 1960 (Age 74 years)
  Marriage	16 Sep 1907	Falmouth, Cumberland, Maine   [6, 7]
  Family ID	F233218	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Augusta McMurray,   b. 4 Jan 1910, Minnesota d. 18 May 1997 (Age 87 years)
  Marriage	31 Jan 1936	Manhattan, New York, New York   [8]
  Children	1. Living   2. John Shackford   3. James Shackford
  Family ID	F233220	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Nov 2024

  
  

• Notes

  The Sun (Baltimore, MD) February 15, 1998 Roland H. Shackford, who was a foreign correspondent for Scripps-Howard newspapers and United Press International and a member of the press corps that covered President Richard M. Nixon's trip to China in 1972, died of pneumonia Feb. 6 at his Cockeysville home. Mr. Shackford, 89, had a journalism career that spanned nearly 40 years. He lived overseas for many years and traveled extensively. In addition to Nixon's historic trip to China, Mr. Shackford covered such major events as the Berlin blockade, post-World War II diplomatic conferences, the creation of NATO and the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe, and the birth of the United Nations. "He was the eyes and ears of Scripps-Howard on the foreign beat for more than 20 years," said Dan Thomasson, vice president and editor of Scripps-Howard. "Shack covered events that changed the course of history and [interviewed] world leaders such as Winston Churchill, Nehru and Chiang Kai-shek. "His reports on both breaking news and background pieces were rich in historical perspective and insight." A native of Westbrook, Maine, Mr. Shackford graduated from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1931. He began his career as a business writer for United Press in New York in 1935. He became the Washington night editor for United Press in 1937 and became diplomatic correspondent for the news service in 1944. He joined Scripps-Howard in 1952 and was stationed in London as the news service's European correspondent. He covered Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. Mr. Shackford specialized in politics behind the Iron Curtain and the Cultural Revolution in China. In 1962, he wrote a book, "The Truth About Soviet Lies." "He was a very gentle, quiet guy, but he was a super reporter," said Peter Kumpa, a former reporter for The Sun who shared an office with Mr. Shackford in Hong Kong in 1966. "He was always a thoughtful reporter who wanted to get things right." Mr. Shackford received many awards, including the Headliner Award in 1946 and the Lawrence S. Mayers Peace Award in 1955. He retired from Scripps-Howard in 1973 and lectured around the country as part of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. In retirement, he also became a master carpenter, crafting cabinets, Japanese-style chests and other works using exotic woods. Mr. Shackford formerly lived in Chevy Chase with his wife, the former Augusta McMurray, whom he married in 1936. They moved in 1983 to the Broadmead retirement community in Cockeysville. Mrs. Shackford died last year. He is survived by a daughter, Kristin Ruckdeschel of Bethesda; two sons, John Shackford of Fairfax, Va., and James Shackford of Burke, Va.; and six grandchildren.

  
  

• Sources

  [S19901] 1910 census, Maine, Cumberland county, Year: 1910; Census Place: Westbrook Ward 2, Cumberland, Maine; Roll: T624_540; Page: 7a; Enumeration District: 0111 (Reliability: 3). [S23286] Draft registration WWII (Reliability: 3). Name Roland Herbert Shackford Gender Male Race White Age 32 Relationship to Draftee Self (Head) Birth Date 13 Mar 1908 Birth Place Westbrook, Maine, USA Residence Place Washington, District of Columbia, USA Registration Date 16 Oct 1940 Registration Place Washington, District of Columbia, USA Employer United Press Association Height 5 8 Weight 135 Complexion Light Hair Color Blonde Eye Color Blue Next of Kin Augusta Shackford [S43361] Social Security Applications and Claims Index, Name Roland H Shackford Gender Male Birth Date 13 Mar 1908 Death Date 6 Feb 1998 Claim Date 17 Jan 1973 SSN 056077060 (Reliability: 3). [S5650] Birth record, Maine, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1960/records/221075#:~:text=Name,Edith%20Shackford (Reliability: 3). [S81437] Obituary, The Sun (Baltimore, MD), Roland H. Shackford, (February 15, 1998). [S53672] Marriage index, Maine, Name Marvin L Shackford Gender Male Residence Westbrook, ME Spouse's Name Edith M Bodkin Spouse's Gender Female Spouse's Residence Falmouth, ME Marriage Date 16 Sep 1907 Marriage Place Maine, USA (Reliability: 3). [S66626] Marriage record, Maine, Name Edith May Bodkin Gender Female Age 21 Birth Date abt 1886 Birth Place Felwart Marriage Date 16 Sep 1907 Marriage Place Falmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA Father Arthur H Bodkin Mother Gertrude Leighton Spouse Morrice Leon Shackford (Reliability: 3). [S55097] Marriage index, New York, Name Augusta McMurray Gender Female Marriage Date 31 Jan 1936 Marriage Place Manhattan, New York, USA Spouse Roland H Shackford Certificate Number 4935 (Reliability: 3).