Paul Edward Shaffer

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Paul E. Shaffer on Friday, November 1st at the Brookeville Hospital after a short illness at the age of 88. The son of Edith and William Shaffer, Paul was born in a small house on the Anita-Oliveburg road on January 25th, 1931. He was proceeded in death by his brothers Clarence, Clinton and James.  Paul was married on September 6th, 1954 to Marlene (Ronko) Shaffer who survives.  They lived their entire 65 years of married life together in Oliveburg.

Paul graduated from Punxsutawney High School, class of 1948.  Immediately upon graduation he was by employed by the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company until he enlisted into the US Army in February 1952.

 Corporal Shaffer was deployed to Inchon, Korea in December 1952 as an amphibious duck driver and quartermaster and was awarded a Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars.  Upon his return from Korea in December of 1953, Paul resumed his employment at the A&P store in Punxsutawney.  He worked there for the next 28 years in various positions, rising to the position of store manager.  For the last 10 years of his professional career, he was employed by the Jefferson Grocery Company as an assistant manager at Comet Markets in Clarion, Indiana and Clearfield until his retirement in 1993.

As a boy growing up in the Cortez area near the state game lands, Paul learned how to hunt and fish, activities that he enjoyed and excelled at for the rest of his life.  He was also a natural born artist.  Without ever having any formal training, Paul had the ability to expertly draw and paint many of the scenes he experienced while being in the outdoors. During his life, he completed hundreds of beautiful oil paintings, many of which were displayed at various civic and community buildings around the area.  Paul also enjoyed golfing with his friends and family, even once recording a “hole in one”.  For years both Paul and Marlene loved to dance.  They were members the local Polka Club and the Hotfooters and Fiddle Arounds Square Dance Clubs and attended national conventions in places such as Indianapolis, St. Louis and Memphis.  Paul was a member of Saints Cosmos and Damien Roman Catholic Church and over the years was active in many of the church’s organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and the St. Vincent DePaul Society.  For 10 years he was well known for his excellent art work displayed at the annual Marti Gras festival, where he transformed the SSCD auditorium into the “land of make believe”. He was also a member of the Punxsutawney Art Club and a lifetime member of the BPOE Elks and the VFW.

In addition to his wife, Marlene, Paul is survived by his sons Kevin P. Shaffer, MD (Valerie) and Karl J. Shaffer (Kristin); cherished grandfather to Kristen, Kayla, Andrew, McKenzie, Cameryn and Aiden. He is also survived by a special niece Carol Ann Shaffer (Larry), great nephew Larry Shaffer Jr. (Traci) and great niece Stacy Fritz (Kevin) and special cousin Alice Ellsworth (Elzie).

Friends will be received from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, November 7, 2019 at Shumaker Funeral Home, Inc., Punxsutawney.

A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 8, 2019 at Saints Cosmos and Damien Catholic Church, celebrated by Monsignor Joseph Riccardo and Father William Laska.

Interment will follow at Saints Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Cemetery, where military honors will be accorded by the Jefferson County Veterans Honor Guard.

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