Courtney Shanken dead at 94

Abie Grossfeld:

Courtney Shanken, of Highland Park Illinois, born January 29, 1921 passed away on April 1, 2015. At the time of his passing, he was the oldest surviving NCAA gymnastic champion. He was 94 years old.

Courtney was the 1941 NCAA all-around and rope climb champion for the University of Chicago, In 1942 Courtney placed third in the AA and PH.

He was a true U.S. military hero having flown 50 missions as a U.S. Army Air Corps (fore-runner of the Air Force)

B-24 navigator for the 722 Squadron of the 450th Bomb Group during WWII.

He served as a member of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Committee, USGF Board of Directors, Chairperson of the Maccabiah Gymnastics Committee and as the President of the Midwest Gymnastics Association. He also served as the U.S. Coach for the 1967 North American Championships.

He is survived by: wife Edith, his three children, his son Jeff who was a gymnast at Indiana University, his twin brother Earl, who currently lives in San Rafael, CA and who was a three-time NCAA vault champion (1940, ’41. ’42) for the University of Chicago.