Charles L. Shaffer, age 87, was born on Sept. 11, 1925 in Huntingdon, Pa., and died on Oct.9, 2012 in Foley.
He was married to Loraine Moser on March 27, 1945 and celebrated 66 years of marriage before she passed away on June 10, 2011. He is survived by his daughter, Cindy Hyde (Mark) of Houston, Texas; son, Michael Shaffer of Ocean Springs, Miss.; granddaughter, Jocelyn Silva (Marlon) and great-granddaughter, Melodie Silva of Houston; brothers, Gene Shaffer of Pinehurst, N.C. (Mary Stuart) and Fred Shaffer (Meriel) of Jenkintown, Pa.; sister, Polly Grove of Huntingdon, Pa; and many nieces and nephews. He began his career in retail sales with the G.C. Murphy Co. in Huntingdon starting as a stock boy and working his way up to store manager at various locations. While in Syracuse, N.Y., he changed careers, becoming a New York Life agent in 1966, an occupation he continued until his "semi-retirement" upon his move to Lillian in 1994. Charlie "never met a stranger." He enjoyed meeting people and genuinely cared about them. This was reflected in his work and his life of service. In Syracuse, he worked with the YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, and the United Way. He was a member of Kiwanis for more than 50 years and established the Builders Club at Bailey Middle School through the Big Lagoon Kiwanis Club. He joined the Optimist Club after moving to Lillian in 1994 and, through their reading program, he read to a kindergarten and first grade class at Elberta Elementary School weekly for the past 8 years. He also served on the POASC Social and Finance Committees. Singing was a vibrant part of his life. He sang bass with the Tom Dooley Choraliers in Syracuse for 33 years. After moving to Lillian, he sang barbershop with the BayCords, BayTones, and BayFour, and he sang in the choir of the Perdido Bay United Methodist Church. He was the song leader in many groups, was often asked to emcee events, and was known for his funny stories. Golfing and gardening were also lifelong passions. Moving to Alabama allowed him to garden and to play golf year-round with many new friends. He and Loraine traveled widely in the United States and Canada, attending many International Kiwanis conventions, and to Ireland with "the Doolies.” After celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 1995, Charlie started the tradition of organizing an annual "mystery trip" for the weekend of their anniversary, surprising Loraine with a new destination every year. His voice, his love, and his spirit will be remembered fondly and sorely missed. Visitation will be held at Pine Rest Funeral Home in Foley, on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 1p.m. to 3p.m. followed by a memorial service in the chapel from 3-4p.m. A reception will be held at the Cove Clubhouse in Spanish Cove on Perdido Bay in Lillian,from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to the Big Lagoon Kiwanis Foundation, P.O. Box 34259, Pensacola, FL 32507, to support their work with children.
