Question of the Week

Dennis Sprung

New York, New York

Johnny was Johnny, aka Johnny Sparkles. He was a true dog-show character in the finest sense of the word. 

His love and respect for AKC, clubs, Juniors and the delegate body were known to everyone.

Along with those attributes, his lifelong passion for Poodles was an inspiration.

Rest in peace, my dear friend.

Allen Odom

Denver, Colorado

Johnny was the kindest, most thoughtful person. He always had a smile on his face. We spent hour talking at shows on the phone. I know Johnny and Liberace are having a FABULOUS time in HEAVEN ....

Love you, Johnny.

Mary and Scott Olund

St. Helena, California

One fond memory we have of Johnny was the weekend he visited us. He came so that we could introduce him to our AKC kennel-club members so he could become a member in hopes of being voted in as our AKC delegate. He was voted in on both counts.

We took him to the de Young Museum in San Francisco to see the Keith Haring exhibit, showed him around San Francisco, and then off to dinner at Portofino. He was appreciative and delighted to share his earlier memories of his first visit to San Francisco as a young man from Texas. 

His stories and smile will forever be etched in our hearts.

Sue and Harvey Goldberg

Warren, New Jersey

Johnny and I met as delegates on the Dog Show Rules committee and struck up a friendship almost immediately, a friendship which grew even stronger over the years. Harvey and I visited him and his devoted partner, Phil, at their home, and Johnny mentored me in Poodles. He and I spoke on the phone regularly. He had a great sense of humor and a keen sense of integrity and fairness. His devotion to our sport was endless. 

He came up with the idea for a Pee Wee class at one of our Committee meetings, and I jumped on board at once. Together we crafted the criteria, modified the wording and tweaked it to counter and ultimately allay the AKC board's concerns and objections. With the support of our Dog Show Rules committee, he and I persisted and persuaded until we finally succeeded in getting the board's approval, no easy task.

From then on, Johnny took this idea and ran with it. He sponsored the first East Coast Pee Wee event at our own Somerset Hills Kennel Club show, generously providing the Pee Wee party we held for the children afterward. His enthusiasm for this event was boundless. Dressed in his pink suit with his sparkly baseball cap, Johnny would skip around the ring with the youngsters and their dogs, a huge smile on his face. Encouraging applause and cheers from the ringside, he engendered such joy in the kids, their parents and all the spectators that the Pee Wee event became a nationwide success! This popular event has now become his legacy.  

Johnny Shoemaker was a loving partner to Phil, a consummate dog man, a longtime Poodle devotee, a popular judge, a dedicated delegate, and a kind and caring, decent human being.  Special people like Johnny don't come along very often. Those of us that called him a friend were lucky to have him in our lives. Sadly, we surely will not see his likes again.

Vicki Holloway

Riverside, California

Johnny was not just a dear friend to me; he was the older brother I never had. He was the kind of person I could always count on: kind, compassionate and generous. It was a privilege to be his friend, and I dearly loved him.

Although I had known Johnny from dog shows, it was when my brother died of AIDS in the mid-’90s that we became close. During that time period, Johnny was active in a program that was a support system for people with AIDS, something I’m not sure many in the dog-show community know about. But he was self-sacrificing by helping take people to their doctor appointments, to dinner, to simply run errands — whatever he could do, he was there for them. 

Johnny, I will miss your phone messages you left with your Queen’s English accent, your amazing sense of humor, your love of all things dog show. I will always remember our fun times not dog show related: the time we went to watch a live taping of Will and Grace, or the many trips to the theater, or our trip to Hearst Castle and even Gettysburg (yes, Gettysburg!).

You gave so much of yourself to the world, and it was my honor to be a part of yours. 

Julie L. Mueller

Tulsa, Oklahoma

I think the photo of Johnny with his arms outstretched perfectly defines his character. He was arriving at the Morris and Essex Kennel Club show judges’ dinner in 2021. The judges were brought to the dinner in these luxury buses, all dressed to the nines. Everyone kindly allowed me to photograph them before going into the dinner. Of course, with no coaxing necessary on my part for Johnny to pose! While all the judges were so stately and elegant, like Kings and Queens, well, we all know there can only be one Queen. Such a gentle soul, full of life and love. Godspeed, dear heart.

Becky Smith

Ocala, Florida

I cannot think of him without my mind going to watching him with the kids. Pee Wees and Juniors had such fun with him. What a great ambassador for them just starting out in our sport.

Quite the fashionista as well. Loved seeing what he was wearing on any given day.

RIP, Mr. Shoemaker!

Len Reppond

San Leandro, California

I met Johnny at the Brawley show in 1966. He had just moved from Texas to Southern California. Johnny was a shy, slightly introverted guy back then. A few years later I started seeing him regularly at the Bradshaw shows where he worked. By then he was much more outgoing and really seemed to find his stride. I think around the same time he landed a job at Charles Schwab. He met Phil and settled into a nice life in Culver City.  

Throughout the years, Johnny was a kind-hearted and thoughtful person. He adored Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, as well as Liberace. When both of their museums closed, he acquired many of their personal pieces.  
Although many will remember Johnny for his sparkling attire, he was so much more than that. He had several rescue Poodles, took his position as a delegate very seriously and truly enjoyed judging. He will definitely leave a void in the world of purebred dogs.   

Linda Tilka

Madeira Beach, Florida

Our dog world has lost another wonderful person. Poodle Club of America will never be the same without Johnny. Such a fine man who showed us all how to have fun. He never stopped being sweet. So sad … he will be missed.
 

Barbara Burns

Freeport, Illinois

I met Johnny Shoemaker when I became a delegate for the Rockford-Freeport Illinois Kennel Club. I saw him around some shows, but got to really know him as a delegate. I loved his bling and sparkles, and his courage to wear them with pride. He always let me wear his hats whenever I asked. He had a great heart, loved his kids and really did a lot to get them interested in AKC. I would have loved to have seen his Roy Rogers memorabilia; I heard it was awesome. There is no one like him, and he will be missed by many, many people. 

Tilly Grassa

Wayne, New Jersey

Johnny judged the Pee Wee class at our Ramapo Kennel Club show in 2022. We had an entry of two kids, but Johnny judged it with as much excitement as if there were 20! 

He was an amazing person. 

Dr. Gregory and Sulie Greendale-Paveza

Fort Pierce, Florida

Johnny Shoemaker had the ability to make everyone at any show smile, from exhibitors to other judges, stewards and superintendents. Watching him do Pee Wee judging was such a joy. He made every child in the ring feel like a superstar, and they all left the ring smiling and laughing, leaving no doubt that they would come back for more. A dear man, and a great loss to our dog family. 

Diana Smiley 

Santa Rosa, California

I really liked him — he was so much fun, and he was so kind. The children loved him in the Pee Wee classes, and he was the best at it. He was also the delegate for the Redwood Empire Dog Club, and he wrote the best delegate articles that I've seen a delegate write. I won and lost under him, and it was still an enjoyable ring.

About a year or so ago for some reason he gave me his yellow baseball cap, all studded in rhinestones. So I have a nice memento of him. 

Rest in peace, Johnny. 

Robert Perry

Redmond, Oregon

An absolute gentleman, always. And, of course, his hats!