R. Alvin Shiffler

He was 88 (or “16” as he liked to say, because 8 + 8 = 16). Born in New Castle, PA on May 3, 1934, he grew up in Coraopolis, PA, where he lettered in track and football.

While in college, he met and married Marilyn Davis on September 17, 1955. They lived in Cleveland, OH before moving to Streetsboro, OH. While there, he completed his B.S. degree in Chemistry at Kent State University.

Al was a chemist who specialized in research, including development of vinyl foams and adhesives for vinyl- and rubber-coated fabrics. He helped his company, Duracote in Ravenna, OH, obtain several patents. His work brought the family to Charlotte, NC in 1973. He retired from Wix Filtration Products in 1996 after 13 years working with automotive air filter materials.

Al played slow-pitch softball for most of his life. He played first base and sometimes coached, but was most often a pitcher. He was proud of pitching until he was 78 years old! He played for Chamberlain Labs in OH as well as for Devonshire Baptist Church (DBC) and Bible Baptist Church’s (BBC) teams here in NC.

Many people will remember him as an avid photographer. He took photos for numerous DBC events and many family reunions. He loved woodworking, gardening, and building things. Al even created the architectural design for DBC’s exterior sign and managed the asbestos-removal project at BBC.

He loved caring for his family. In 1996 he retired early so he could care for Marilyn, his wife of 45 years, for several years as she battled cancer. In 2001 he married Martha Ashley, who was the pianist at DBC when he and Marilyn joined the church in 1973. After years of travel adventures, Al cared for Martha in the last years of her life too.

His children and grandchildren treasure moments spent with him. We enjoyed his wacky jokes and texts. A long-standing tradition was for him to read the Christmas story before the family opened Christmas gifts. Al loved to play cards! He played Solitaire every day and played Phase 10 with his family during weekly Zoom meetings over the last three years, including the evening before his passing, where we signed off with the usual air hugs and kisses and called out our “I love you’s!”

But one of the greatest joys of his life was singing. In high school, Al played the trombone and sang the lead in two operettas. He received voice training at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Kent State University; he also studied voice at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. He became choir director at Firestone Baptist Church in Akron, OH and later at DBC in Charlotte, NC. He made a point to teach them a wide variety of hymns. He sang countless solos and even gave concerts at Devonshire and at First Baptist Church of Coraopolis, PA. He was known for breaking into song, especially his favorite: How Great Thou Art. His and Marilyn’s grave marker includes lines from the hymn, All the Way My Savior Leads Me “Jesus led us all the way.” DBC even celebrated him with “Al Shiffler Day” for 20 years as choir director and his service to the church.

Most of all, Al would want you to know that he accepted Jesus as his Savior when missionaries visited his church when he was a teen. His commitment manifested itself in perfect attendance at Sunday School for most of his life, reading through his Bible 1.5 to 2 times each year, serving as a deacon and Sunday School teacher, but – more than anything – through his Biblical leadership and love for his family and all those around him.

Our family especially appreciates the residents and staff at Holiday Willow Grove retirement center in Matthews, where Al spent the last year and a half, enjoying activities like Bingo and pool. They knew him well enough to know how much he loved ice cream!

We also appreciate Dr. Chaconas and the staff at Memory and Movement in Charlotte, who helped guide our family through the last few years.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harvey Ross Shiffler Sr., and mother, Edis Jean McCann Shiffler Williams; his first wife, Marilyn Ruth Davis Shiffler; his second wife, Martha Beaman Ashley Shiffler; and his brother, Harvey Ross Shiffler Jr.

He will be missed by sister Dorothy (William) Eidenire; sister-in-law Helen Shiffler; daughter Laurie (Mike) Barnett, daughter Linda (fiancé Reece Gibson) Day, son Edward (Laura) Shiffler and step-son Buddy (Susan) Ashley; grandchildren Victoria Shiffler, Lenore (Kenneth Arant) Day, Elijah (Amy) Shiffler, Abigail (Connor) Gault, Samuel Shiffler, and Marilyn (Andrew) Kuik; Adam Kerrick; Andrew Kerrick; great-grandson Nathaniel Cade Thackston; many loving nieces and nephews as well as grandchildren and greatgrandchildren with Martha Shiffler.

Donations may be made in Al’s honor to Bible Baptist Church, Devonshire Baptist Church or Bible Broadcast Network (BBN) radio of Charlotte.