Decorated WWII vet still repairs sewing machines

BY JULIE BENAMATI
The Tribune-Democrat

January 25, 2008 11:27 pm

— Robert Shoup of Upper Yoder Township has a lot of stories to tell.
He has numerous tales of fixing commercial sewing machines – a talent Shoup still works at today.
He tells how he and his wife have been to Hawaii 14 times, and how he has met “friendly state troopers” after being stopped on occasion for speeding.
Even more interesting are his numerous war stories from World War II, when he almost froze his feet in Italy.
“I’d do it all over again if someone could take 50 years off my life,” Shoup said of his 26 years of service in the Army.
He joined the service at age 18 and retired as a chief warrant officer. He has traveled almost everywhere, whether for military service, business or pleasure.
Shoup wouldn’t share his age, saying only he was “over 90.”
And if you didn’t know his age, you’d never guess.
He was born in Blairs Corners, a tiny town no longer found on the Clarion County map.
“It was known as the horse-thief capital of the world at the time,” Shoup said of his native area. “They had a guy hung within 24 hours for stealing a horse up there, and my dad was on the jury.”
After his Knox High School graduation, he enlisted in the military, with almost three of his years of service dedicated to World War II.
“I was all over Europe and Africa, Italy, France and Germany,” Shoup said of his military travels. “But of all the places I’ve been, I never want to go back to Italy. I damn near froze my feet there.
“I had good times, bad times, and I screwed up a few times, too,” Shoup says of his years in the military, adding that for the most part, he enjoyed it.
“Except for the three years I spent in the infantry, I’d still do it today.”
He earned 18 medals during his years in the Army, including what he says is the most important – the Meritorious Service Medal.
“It’s the most important on the list,” Shoup said. “I got it when I got my Retired Officer.”
After World War II, Shoup spent most of his military time repairing machines.
“I handled big tarpaulin machines with 30-inch arms,” Shoup explained, adding that he has spent 45 years of his life repairing machines – mostly industrial sewing machines.
He learned the sewing machine business through Singer in Bradford and Adler Machine School in Massachusetts.
“I came to Johnstown as a sewing machine mechanic,” Shoup said. “I have machines brought in from out of town and out of state from other sewing machine companies to repair. I don’t even advertise anymore.”
He’s lived at his Haverford Street home just beside the Upper Yoder Township/Westmont Borough line for about 60 years, he said. He served on Westmont school board for four years and also on sewer, water and garbage authorities.
“(Authority boards) are the biggest headache of the 21st century,” Shoup said.
In addition to sewing machines, Shoup also invented a machine that ties bundled newspapers – a device that still is used today.
“I still have one machine being used at a newspaper in Clearfield County,” Shoup said.
“It’s in their mailroom.”
And despite being retired, Shoup still can be found repairing machines.
“I just sold a special machine to the Ebensburg Center. It’s like the machines at Martin-Baker, but it sews 3- to 4-inch thicknesses of nylon belting together,” Shoup said. “It keeps the patients from falling out of the wheelchairs.”

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