SHAFFER--Charles Milton Jr., lost his battle with Alzheimer's on Thursday, March 18, 2021. Once diagnosed in 2011, he took on this challenge just as he did everything else in life with humility, courage and optimism and with openness to raise awareness and acceptance of a disease that affects over six million Americans. Charlie was born on December 21, 1941 in Durham, North Carolina to Charles Milton Shaffer and Charlotte Winborne Shaffer. He grew up in Chapel Hill and attended Woodberry Forest School in Virginia where he graduated cum laude in 1960. He was awarded the Woodberry Forest Service Medal for Excellence in Scholarship and Athletics as well as the William B. Mason Memorial Medal for Outstanding Senior Athlete. He was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was elected class president his junior and senior years. He was highly recruited as a quarterback for the UNC football team, but his football career ended due to a knee injury his freshman year. He recovered and went on to co-captain the varsity basketball and tennis team and played during Coach Dean Smith's first three basketball seasons. He graduated from the UNC School of Law in 1967 while he was also the assistant freshman basketball coach for three years. Following graduation, he joined the law firm of King & Spalding in Atlanta as a trial lawyer and partner and served as Chairman of both its Litigation Department and of the hiring committee. He was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and also served as president of the Atlanta Bar Association. After 35 years at King & Spalding, he accepted the position of president and CEO of The Marcus Institute, a center for children with developmental disabilities. He retired in 2007 to join The Westminster Schools as Vice President for Institutional Advancement where he helped the school exceed its $100 million capital campaign. His passion for athletics and community service led Charlie to take on numerous leadership roles. He was instrumental in bringing to Atlanta the 1996 Summer Olympics, the 2000 Super Bowl, and the 2007 Men's Final Four Tournament. He was chairman of Leadership Atlanta, and also served on the board of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the Carter Center Board of Councilors, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Woodberry Forest School, and Kanuga Conference Center. Charlie was a devoted member of All Saints' Episcopal Church where he served on the Vestry and was also Senior Warden. While Charlie led a life full of accomplishments, he will be best remembered for his great passion for life, his inherent goodness, and his capacity to see the very best in everyone. He had a wonderful sense of humor and balanced a monumental work ethic with a great appreciation for the smaller pleasures of life. To say the glass was half full for Charlie is an epic understatement; it was always overflowing regardless of the circumstance. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Harriet Houston Shaffer and their three children: Charles M. Shaffer III (Karen) of Greenwich, Connecticut; and daughters Caroline Shaffer Vroon (Bryan) and Harriet "Emi" ShafferGragnani (Michael) of Atlanta. Missing their Papa are eight grandsons and one granddaughter: Charles Milton Shaffer IV, Andrew Shaffer, Ada Shaffer, David (Charles) Vroon, Dylan Vroon, Daniel Vroon, (Charles) Houston Gragnani, Henry Gragnani and Emmett Gragnani. Charlie's sister, Winborne Shaffer Chandler (Dr. Dudley "Chan" Chandler) of Winston-Salem, also survives him, as do his sister-in- law and brother-in-law Caroline and Alex McMillan of Charleston, and many devoted nieces and nephews. Charlie was buried in a private ceremony in Chapel Hill. There will be a celebration of his life at a later date when conditions permit. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The University of North Carolina for The Charles and Charlotte Shaffer Scholarship Fund, University Development Office, P.O. Box 309, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 or at give.unc.edu; or the Emory Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, 1762 Clifton Rd, NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30322 or alzheimers.emory.edu. Services handled by H.M. Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel, Sandy Springs, GA.

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Published by New York Times on Mar. 28, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for CHARLES SHAFFER

17 Entries

Linda Taylor

December 31, 2021

Mr Charlie was a wonderful man with many stories. You will be truly missed.

Thomas (Tom) Linker

November 23, 2021

I grew up with Charlie in Chapel Hill, a few houses up Gimghoul Road. He was 6 years older, but always cordial, waving at me as he did his daily jog and I rode my first bicycle.

I could walk to the UNC tennis courts, and watched him play in tournaments. Before the days of giant basketball arenas, I wandered into the gym and watched him play basketball as captain of the UNC team.
His life had a major impact on mine. My mother learned of Woodberry Forest School from Charles Senior, and I soon followed in Charlie's footsteps to northern Virginia. Woodberry ('66) was the springboard to Harvard for me, and it was there in Boston that I met and later married my wife Elizabeth, who has been with me for 45 years.
I just today learned of Charlie's death in the Woodberry annual report, and it touched off a flood of memories. I am truly grateful that Charlie crossed my path, and in so doing opened a path to much that I value. My warmest greetings and condolences to Harriet and the Shaffer family, who probably never heard of me.

Michael Horne

Planted Trees

Simone Taylor

April 1, 2021

Please except my deepest sympathies to you and your family at this time of grieving. May God be with you and your family in this time of sorrow.

Martha and Bill Dobes

March 25, 2021

We will all miss a very dynamic and generous person.

Steve Gross

March 25, 2021

A major force in bringing the Olympics to Atlanta! Billy Payne gave credit to him for his role in Atlanta’s coming out party!
RIP

Joe H. Fleming, IV.

March 24, 2021

My condolences to the Shaffer family for their loss.
I knew Charlie from my first day at Woodberry and shall never forget him. I wanted to "be just like him." Anyone reading his obit would say the same.
What a legacy!

Jeffrey Grady

March 23, 2021

I did not know Charlie personally, I was several classes behind him at Carolina. But I loved UNC and UNC sports, and Charlie was who all us boys wanted to be.

Bryan McSweeney

March 23, 2021

My sincere condolences to Harriet and the entire Shaffer extended family. It is always a very sad day when a teammate of yours passes. Charlie had such a presence when he was a student/athlete at Carolina, and, obviously, after he graduated he continued to make his presence felt. I always will remember Charlie as one of the great people that I have had the pleasure of knowing over my lifetime.
Your current grieving will soon be replaced by the many wonderful memories of many great times shared with Charlie.

Sandra/Stephen RICH

March 23, 2021

There are not words to express what Charlie meant to so many organizations and especially to every person he ever came into contact. He led our UNC 50th reunion even though alzhemers was already affecting him. He is missed by so very many. Rest in peace, Charlie.

G Ware Cornell

March 22, 2021

In the summer of 1965 Charlie returned to Woodberry Forest where he taught summer school. He was already in law school, but it was obvious he was an outstanding teacher.

After I became a lawyer I would run into Charlie from time to time at ABA meetings. The reality is that trial lawyers are teachers and Charlie’s talents as a teacher were transferred easily into the courtroom.

Temple Grassi

March 22, 2021

I met him once at a Woodberry Forest reunion- he had a presence about him that you instantly respected!
He was the QB for the 1959 Woodberry team that broke a 13 year losing streak to Episcopal High School. As time ran out Charlie through a pass to Mike Reilly who ran the length of the field for the win. Probably the most exciting finish in the long history of The Game!
Temple Grassi ‘65

Willie Hobson

March 22, 2021

UNC classmate

Larry Shouse

March 22, 2021

My sincere condolences at this time.
Larry R Shouse, UNC Class of '64

John H. Williams, III

March 21, 2021

I first saw Charlie on the varsity tennis courts of Chapel Hill - that is to say, he was playing and
I was watching.
His achievements at the
University were legendary. His achievements everywhere were of the first order.
I firmly believe Charlie's
greatest achievement was getting my first cousin, Harriet, to say
"Yes!".

Wilson DuBose

March 21, 2021

Charlie was a giant of a man whose accomplishments were matched only by his decency and humility. He was on the opposite side of my first case as a lawyer, and could not have been more gracious and encouraging, even as he was being the ever-zealous advocate for his client. He and I were part of a small group of lawyer friends who gathered annually during the Christmas season to renew friendships and repeat war stories and jokes told countless times before. Charlie was a special part of that group and will be remembered with warmth, admiration and gratitude. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Billy Dobbs

March 21, 2021

What a great person and overachiever. A real pleasure to know. A sad ending to a life well lived. He will be remembered most fondly by all who knew him.

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