John R. Shults, Jr.

John R. Shults Jr., 98, passed on July 17, 2024. Born Phoenixville, PA and raised in Kingston, he is the son of the late John R. and Elizbeth Shults. John served our country in United States Navy during the later days of WWII. After graduating from Colgate University, he began his business career working for an Insurance Company in NYC. After moving back to Kingston in 1950, he began his career with Canfield Supply Company, a family business, serving as a salesman and eventually as President. John thrived in business and was proud of his affiliation with family businesses including the Canfield Machine & Tool, Cable & Harness and Sheet Metal Divisions, Canfield Inc in Durham NC, Canfield II in Charlotte NC, Shults Paint Company and Saugerties Lumber. 

John was an active member of our community including service on the Boards of Key Bank, the Kingston City Schools, the Kingston Library, Gateway Community Industries, the Hudson River Maritime Center, the Kingston Hospital Foundation. John loved playing tennis and golf and treasured his days with Betty and his family at the Callabar Club. 

John married Elizabeth “Betty” Salzmann in in 1956 and they had three children, John “Pete” Shults III, Elizabeth “Liz” Berardi and Barbara Loughran. After Betty’s death, John married Mary Loughran and expanded his family with the addition of William, Robert and Roger Loughran and their families. After Mary’s death, John at the ripe age of 95, married Joy Morrow Nulton, gaining longtime friend John Morrow and his family and John’s sister Melanie as step children. John’s grandchildren are Eugene, Alexander and Carter Berardi; John Shults IV and his wife Sarah, Anne Shults O’Brien and her husband Westen, Kate Shults Dammer and her husband Tim, Daniel Shults and his wife Skyler; Libby Loughran Giannone and her husband Bill; Emily and Clair Loughran. John is survived by his two sisters, Carolyn Millonig and Janet McCoubrey. Most significantly, John gained a heavenly Father when he became a child of God when at the age of 83 as he placed his faith in Jesus as his Lord and Savior. 

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401, where family and friends may visit on Sunday July 21st from 4pm to 7pm. A celebration of John’s life will be held at Cross Point Fellowship on Hurley Ave, at 10am on Monday July 22nd followed by a private graveside committal at Wiltwyck Cemetery. A tribute for John can be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for his family.