This from the Memorial Service
Floyd Burton Shacklock 1932-2006
Floyd Burton Shacklock was born July 27, 1932, in Karuizawa, Japan, the fourth child of Floyd and Louise Shacklock, who were Methodist missionaries.
The family home was in Hirosaki, in northern Japan. They had no car and no telephone. No other English-speaking children lived in the city, and there was no English-language school, so their mother taught the children at home. Floyd played in a big house with a wide lawn, trees to climb and bushes to hide in, a swing set, and a two-story barn that provided for adventure and imagination. Snow covered the yard in winter and was piled high beside the paths. Their mother often took the children to ski in a nearby park.
Floyd learned to speak Japanese at the same time he learned English. In 1936, while Floyd's father studied for his PhD in Connecticut, the family sailed to Germany. Their mother taught the children German on the ship and soon they spoke in three-language sentences. Floyd attended a German kindergarten in Berlin until they sailed to the U.S. in December. In early 1937 they crossed the country by train, and sailed from Los Angeles to home in Hirosaki.
The family returned to the U.S. in 1940 because Floyd's mother was ill with cancer. They settled in New Jersey. Floyd started school for the first time, in third grade. Floyd's mother died in the fall of 1943 when he was eleven years old and in the sixth grade.
During high school his main interest became football. He played first-string varsity linebacker for two years. Waiting to start college at the end of the summer, he took a job at the Nebraska state fair lifting 100-pound blocks of ice to his back from a truck and delivering them on the midway. It was a grueling job, but he reveled in it - a job for a big, strong football player.
Floyd attended Northwestern University with a Navy ROTC scholarship and graduated in 1955 as a mechanical engineer and U.S. Navy ensign. He earned a naval aviator's gold wings in 1956 and flew the F3H Demon, a single-seat jet fighter-interceptor.
Floyd met Joan Weber in June of 1957 while on leave visiting his sister Jean in Michigan. At the time he was stationed in Alameda, California. They planned to see each other again during Joan's vacation trip to California with a group of fellow teachers. The relationship was showing potential so Joan moved to California so they could get to know each other better. They were married on February 14, 1958.
During the 1958 Formosa Strait crisis his squadron was assigned to the USS Midway, which soon was underway to the strait between what is now Taiwan and mainland China. He flew night patrols over the straits, taking off and landing on the carrier at night. Following his return from his cruise, Floyd was assigned as a flight instructor at NAS Miramar in San Diego. During that assignment he frequently made cross-country training flights, flying over much of the United States. It was then he decided to resign his commission, anticipating that Navy life and family life would be a difficult mix.
Upon leaving the service in 1960 he was faced with a difficult choice; an engineering career or flying for an airline. Because he figured he wouldn't enjoy flying a plane that lie couldn't turn upside down, lie chose engineering. Thus, they remained in San Diego where Floyd took a job with Ryan Aeronautical. This began his days of traveling on business and moving around the country. During this time his four children were born.
While in San Diego a favorite pastime was camping at Cuyamaca State Park. Before busy weekends Floyd would make a special trip up to the mountains after work to pitch the tent to save a favorite campsite. The family has many fond memories of hiking, fishing and playing.
In 1973 the family moved to Scottsdale after Floyd took a job with Motorola. This job took him traveling all over the world. Before starting with Motorola, he took the family on a memorable 6-week vacation from California to the East Coast and back in a 20-foot motor home, affectionately known as "Big Fat." This was a wonderful opportunity to see many parts of our beautiful country and visit relatives in many states.
After settling in Scottsdale he purchased land near Show Low and with the weekend help of the entire family he built an A-frame cabin, complete with a water collection system and solar panels with batteries for electricity. The time spent building and visiting the cabin-was some of the best the family had. The cabin still stands, although the family no longer owns it.
Once the cabin was finished Floyd thought the family should also enjoy the many lakes surrounding Phoenix. A friend of his was selling his boat so Floyd bought it and the family learned to water ski. Many hours were spent in that boat cruising around Saguaro Lake.
At age 55 he went to work for himself as a realtor and later as a real estate appraiser. This background prepared him well for purchasing and managing rental properties.
The family expanded in 1983 when Debi married David Van Omen and again in 1989 when Cindy married David New. Floyd was proud of the five grandchildren which soon followed.
In the mid 1990's he and Joan started traveling more and more to places like Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, Egypt, China, Mexico and much of the United States. One of Floyd's favorites was a place in Mazatlan where they stayed every fall and enjoyed sport fishing and relaxing on the beach. Traveling on .cruise ships was his favorite way of all to travel. He felt fortunate to be able to do this with Joan several times a year.
Floyd died while traveling in China, doing what he loved with the woman he loved.
These photos are of Floyd (Grampa) Shacklock and his family. The children are Jean, Peggy, John and Burt (Floyd).
Floyd Burton Shacklock marries Joan Weber
Grampa Shacklock with his four children. Jean, the oldest (my Mom, on the right), Aunt Peggy, Uncles John and Burt. When Grampa was
alive the youngest son was called by his middle name to save confusion.
My Mom was born in Osaka, Japan, where Grampa was a missionary.
Taken in New Jersey, and I am in my Mom's arms. Grampa has married Emily.
