Esther J. Shaffer

ESTHER J. SHAFFER

Mount Pleasant

Esther J. Shaffer, 92, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, passed away Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, at Henry County Health Center.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel. Visitation will be

held for one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in Forest Home Cemetery.

Gifts of love and friendship may be given to Vintage Raven Kitten Haven, a shelter for cats located in Mount Pleasant.

Online condolences may be directed to www.olsonpowell.com.

Born June 17, 1927, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Esther Joy was the daughter of John and Gertrude M. (Van Willigen) Van Ee. She was a 1945 graduate of Oskaloosa High School. She took college courses at Iowa Wesleyan College, along with secretarial classes at other schools. On Sept. 20, 1947, Esther married Robert G. "Red" Shaffer in Oskaloosa, Iowa. After 71 years of marriage, he preceded her in death on Oct. 20, 2018.

As a young woman, Esther was a waitress at the Kozy Cafe in Mount Pleasant. She then worked as a production worker at Sheaffer Pen in Mount Pleasant. Using her secretarial skills, Esther worked in the office at Iowa Wesleyan College, Scientific Applications and Staats, all located in Mount Pleasant.

Esther was a loving wife and mother. She was a lifetime V.F.W. Auxiliary member and a member of TOPS for many years. She enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Canada, and especially liked to visit various cemeteries for research and historical purposes. Esther was fond of dogs and cats. While on the family farm, she would often hunt for mushrooms, buckeyes, artifacts and rocks.

Survivors include niece, Pam (Doug) Morrison of Alameda, Calif.; daughter-in-law, Fae Erickson Ramsey of Des Moines; and special friend, Carolyn (Dennis) Prottsman of Mount Pleasant. She also is survived by two step-grandchildren, Genevieve (Brandon) Hays and John Ramsey.

Along with her husband and parents, Esther was preceded in death by son, Robert G. Shaffer II; brother, John Van Ee; and three sisters, Bernice Van Ee, Harriette Engle and Arlene Van Ee.