Wesley Shaffer Obituary
Wesley Jay Shaffer, age 86, lost his battle with cancer, passing away at his home in Battle Lake, Minnesota.
Wes was born May 1, 1938, in Wheeler, Texas, to William Jewell and Mary Elizabeth (Hensley) Shaffer.
The Shaffer family later moved to California where this Texas boy met and married a Minnesota girl. Wes and Helaine (Lainy) were married on February 20, 1959, in Garden Grove, California. To this union three children were born- Charlotte, Anita, and Charlie. Prior to leaving California, Wes and Lainy started and ran a business they called All-Rite landscaping and Aero Sweepers.
On their wedding day, Lainy made Wes promise her that they would never farm. Thirteen years later, they found themselves the proud owners of a farm in Ashby, Minnesota. While farming in Ashby, they raised beef cattle, and eventually ran a dairy. After turning their dairy over to daughter #2 and her husband, they moved into Ashby, running the liquor store and laundromat together until they returned again to their farm to raise pheasants for the Viking Valley Hunt Club.
Wanting to escape Minnesota winters, Wes and Lainy moved south to Oklahoma, then to Missouri. Wes enjoyed golfing in Texas with his brothers. After Lainy’s death from cancer, Wes headed back to Minnesota where his two daughters lived, along with many grandchildren. Wes exchanged his Missouri farm for rental properties in Minnesota. He enjoyed being a landlord, and getting to know his tenants until the day he died. Wes enjoyed staying busy and his motto was “Everyday do something, even if it’s wrong.”
Preceding him in death are his parents, William Jewell and Mary Elizabeth; his wife Lainy; two brothers, Morris and Ken; sister, Billie Ruth; grandson Justin Woldahl; son-in-law, Gene Woldahl.
Wes is survived by his three children, Charlotte Woldahl, Anita (Kevin) Hoeper, Charlie (Shannon) Shaffer; two brothers, Gilbert Shaffer, John Shaffer; two sisters, Nelda Poole and Lavern Cain; 9 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.
Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 21, 2025, at Grue Lutheran Church in Ashby, with a visitation one hour prior to the service.
A recording of Wesley's Memorial Service will be uploaded at the conclusion of the service. Please look back to the website for link.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
102 Lincoln Avenue, Battle Lake, MN 56515
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