Ernest Shaffer

Ernest W. "Ernie" Shaffer died on January 3, 2023, at the age of 102. He was born on November11, 1920, in Johnstown, PA. He grew up in Maumee, OH and graduated from Maumee HighSchool. He earned a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Colorado. Upon graduation in 1943 he was commissioned in the United States Navy and attended Office rIndoctrination School at the University of Arizona.During World War II, Ernie served as ship superintendent at the Norfolk, Virginia Navy Yard. He oversaw repairs on vessels as small as PT boats and as large as aircraft carriers. He later served as base maintenance officer in Panama City, Florida.Ernie's civilian career was as the plant engineer at Convair, later General Dynamics and now Raytheon. He supervised all infrastructure and maintenance of the plant in Pomona, CA. He retired in 1980 and moved to Oro Valley in 1993. In 2011 he went on an Honor Flight toWashington, DC.In 2020, Ernie had his 100 th birthday during the height of Covid, so his daughter organized adrive-by parade to celebrate. There was a police escort, more than 50 decorated cars, a halfdozen motorcycles, and a fire truck. Sign Gypsies put up two large signs for the event, and itmade the evening news on KOLD TV.A lifelong woodworker, Ernie built custom furniture and later beautiful hand-turned bowls, many of them intricate. He gave bowls of various types to many of his friends. He made wooden pens to send to soldiers overseas, and bangle bracelets and pendants for all the women he knew. He was a member of the Desert Woodworkers Association.Ernie was generous with his time and talents. He built drawers, shelves, cabinets, and other items for his friends, he repaired just about anything made of wood, and he lent his tools and his workshop to friends and neighbors. In 2016, the Rotary Club of Dove Mountain honored him by selecting him as the "king" for their Mardi Gras event. He was a Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of contributions in his name to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.Ernie was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Eveyln Ann, his son, Ronnie (Shirley) and his son-in-law, Peter Bergman. He is survived by his daughter, Teree Bergman; his grandchildren, Laurie and Brian (Pauline) Shaffer, his great grandchildren, Hannah and Caleb Shaffer; his step granddaughter, Heidi Epstein (Jonathan), and step grandchildren, Jennifer and Hannah Epstein