Vanilleer M. Shafer
Posted By tatemortuary on August 29, 2009
Our beloved mother, Vanilleer M. Shafer, age 93, quietly passed away in her home on Aug. 29, 2009. Mom was born to Theodore and Susie Vanilleer Marx in Bingham, Canyon, Utah on July 6, 1916. She had one brother Theobald who died in a glider crash when he was 19 and she was 12 years old. She also had a sister who died soon after birth.
Her brother’s best friend, Franklin Roy Shafer, stayed close to her family and watched Vanilleer grow up into a beautiful young woman, graduate from East High and the University of Utah. She taught elementary school music and worked as the secretary to the Assistant Purchasing Agent at the University of Utah. She joined Delta Zeta Sorority and maintained her membership and friendships for the rest of her life.
After a brief courtship through letters, Mom married Dad, Franklin Roy Shafer in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at the end of World War II, Jan. 6, 1945. She joined Dad as he continued to serve in the Navy in Quonset, R.I. and Norfolk, Va. They then lived in Ouray and Silverton, Colo.; Dugway, and finally Tooele, where they remained. While living in Tooele, Mom joined the LDS Church and they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. Even though they married late in life, they had five children.
Mom was very active in her community. She taught piano and voice. She served as Harris Elementary PTA President, and then in her later years as a classroom volunteer. She also served as President of the Tooele Chapter of American Association of University Women.
Mom served in many LDS Church callings, including 8th Ward Relief Society President and various music positions. Mom and Dad served an 18 month mission for the LDS Church to Little Rock, Ark. and they served in the Jordan River Temple for over 10 years. She spent many hours doing family history research and temple work.
Mom was preceded in death by our Dad in 1987. She is survived by five children: Susan (Don) Campbell Pinkerton, Hyrum, Utah; Marvin (Jan) Shafer, Erda; Jeanette (Jesse) Jaynes, Auburn, Ala.; Franklin Roy (Lorie) Shafer II, Tooele; Elizabeth (Gaylen) Zentner, Murray. Mom has 17 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
The family would like to give special appreciation to her loving caretakers, Ardis Hopkins and Mary Montoya from the Tooele County Aging, numerous physical therapists and nurses, Hospice, and especially to Tina Lueker, who loved and cared for her like a daughter for her mother.
The funeral will be held Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 1 p.m. at the 5th-8th Ward Chapel at 196 N. Pinehurst, Tooele. A viewing will be held Tuesday night, Sept. 1, from 6-8 p.m. at the Tate Mortuary, 110 S. Main Street, Tooele. A viewing will also be held before the funeral from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church.
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