Shevchik, John

John Shevchik (1915-1994) was an American editorial cartoonist for the Beaver Falls (Pa.) News-Tribune .

John Shevchik was born on August 23, 1915 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. His father was a carpenter and Shevchik had no formal art training. However, he was friends with and influenced by cartoonist Cy Hungerford of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette . In the 1930s, Shevchik worked at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and left for World War II service with the 816th Engineering Unit of the United States Army where he gained drawing experience. Following the war, Shevchik worked in the capacities of artist and cartoonist for several greater Pittsburgh area newspapers including the Daily Citizen in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.

In 1954, Shevchik became editorial cartoonist for the Beaver Falls News Tribune where he worked until 1979 when the paper was purchased by the Beaver County Times . Then Shevchik began drawing weekly cartoons for the Valley Tribune, serving portions of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Shevchik was a member of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists and was also known as “Shevy”. He received over a dozen Freedoms Foundation awards and his work in promoting highway safety was recognized by the National Safety Council who presented him with their first place award in 1954 and also an honorable mention in 1961. His work appeared in the Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year series and he also edited an anthology of Cy Hungerford's World War II cartoons (1985).

John Shevchik died in 1994.

From the guide to the John Shevchik Cartoons, 1959-1971, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)