Merle Jack Shaffer

Merle Jack Shaffer, 79 of Bristol, Indiana died November 12, 2010 @ 1:51 P.M. at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka. He was born on May 5, 1931 in Pierceton, IN. to Leonard and Lois (Wolff) Shaffer. He married Sandy Brooks on August 4, 1972 in Elkhart.

She survives along with three daughters; Kathy Richardson of Morgan City, LA., Connie Cox of Thousand Oaks, CA and Karen (Bill) Passmore of Milton, FL., two sons, Daniel (Michelle) Shaffer of Simi Valley, CA. and Duane Shaffer of Thousand Oaks, CA., 11 Grandchildren, 5 Great Grandchildren and a brother, M. Jay (Linda) Shaffer of Elkhart. He was preceded in death by a brother, Merald Jean Shaffer.

Funeral services will be held at 1 PM Wednesday at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home at Cobblestone Crossing with visitation 2 hours prior to the service. Pastor Raymond Laborde of McCoy Memorial Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will follow at Zion Cemetery, Bristol.

Mr. Shaffer worked in the Aircraft Industry for Lockheed where he was a mechanic for the SR 71 Blackbird. For the past 40 years he managed the family dairy farm in Bristol. He served with the air Force between 1950 and 1954. During that time he traveled to Alaska, Thailand, Okinawa and Wake Island. He traveled to Vietnam as a civilian working on the Medivac Helicopters. He loved reading and music. He raced his motorcycle once in the Mojave Desert competing against Steve McQueen.

Memorial contributions may be given to Pet Refuge in Mishawaka. An online guestbook may be accessed at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com