John Schumacher, 66, ex-diving coach

John M. Schumacher, 66, of Sellersville, longtime owner of a Sellersville barbershop and a former diving coach who trained athletes including Olympic bronze medalist Chris Seufert, died of respiratory failure Sunday at home.

Mr. Schumacher taught diving to young athletes in the 1960s and '70s as an independent coach at local schools and swim clubs.

He had an eye for spotting talent, whether in the way athletes pointed their toes in the water or stood on the diving board.

He helped start the diving program at the North Penn Aquatic Club in the early 1970s and coached a team based at the Nor-Gwyn Pool in North Wales.

Mr. Schumacher coached Seufert in the 1970s when she was a young athlete from Ambler. Mr. Schumacher coached her for four years while Seufert was in her midteens. She began training with Schumacher at the North Penn High School pool and through a program at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington. Seufert went on to win a bronze medal in the women's springboard diving competition at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

"He basically gave me my start in diving," said Seufert Sholtis, who is married with two children and works as a fitness instuctor in Saline, Mich. "He taught me how to love the sport."

"He developed excellent divers," said Lansdale lawyer Frank Bartle, who swam competitively in the 1960s and coached in the 1970s. "[Nor-Gwyn] started training them while they were young and always had some of the best divers in the Bux-Mont summer swimming league."

Mr. Schumacher, who grew up in Olney, graduated from Upper Dublin High School after his parents moved to the suburbs. He served Stateside in the Army for two years and began giving haircuts to his fellow troops for $1.

After he was discharged, Mr. Schumacher went to barber school and became a master barber. He worked in North Wales and then, nearly 25 years ago, bought his own shop in Sellersville. John Schumacher's Barber Shop on Temple Avenue became a place where neighbors gathered to talk about the news of the day.

Mr. Schumacher was married to Delores Schumacher and then to Diane Schumacher. Both unions ended in divorce. He had been married to his current wife, Frances M. Gergar Schumacher, for 19 years.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Schumacher is survived by daughter Michele; son Brian; one brother; and one sister.

A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday at the Betty Meier Steeley Funeral Home, 87 N. Main St., Sellersville. Memorial donations may be made to the Grand View Hospital Hospice, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville 18960.