OBITUARY: Nora Mae Shaffer

At 2 a.m. Sunday, March 23, 2014, Nora Mae Shaffer passed away from extended lung and kidney problems.

Nora, or to some, Mom, or to others, Mother, Shaffer, was born Nora Mae Reynolds on Oct. 16, 1925, in Benton, to Austin "Tex" Reynolds and Rachael Lenora West-Reynolds. January 13, 1947, there was a happy marriage to Stanley Everett Shaffer in Benton. Together they were blessed with seven children: Jeffrey Bruce, Karen Sue, Stanley Everett Jr., Michael Wayne and Kevin Andrew while in Murphysboro, then moving to Joliet, had Thomas Wade and Lisa Marie Shaffer.

Nora graduated from Benton High School in 1942 and in 1943 began working for Bell Telephone Co. in Benton. After some 25 years away from Bell to have raise her family, Nora returned to Bell telephone to help support her family. Nora started working for the operator services, and became a union representative.

Nora then transferred to Bell Labs Training Center where she became a trainer. Then in 1990 with 30-plus years in, Nora retired to help friends acquaintances and grandchildren. Prior to death, Nora Shaffer was the oldest living member of the Telephone Pioneer Organization, a distinction she treasured.

On a personal note, even when we hardly had any food or clothes, she would always add some water to the bean soup or stew we had so anyone we brought home would also have a hot meal, and still found money and clothes to donate for less fortunate people. Our mother, Nora was greatly loved and will be missed sadly by all of us.

Nora was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Everett Shaffer Sr. on Nov. 3, 1989, and a son Stanley Shaffer Jr. on June 20, 1998.

Nora is survived by her brother Raymond Reynolds of Marion and six children: Bruce, Karen, Mike, Kevin, Tom and Lisa. Nora was blessed to have 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, March 31, at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Eldorado. Burial will be in Lindale Cemetery. Visitation will be 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, March 31, at the Watson Funeral Home in Eldorado.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at watsonfuneralhome.net