Louise Shaffer

I can only imagine that Louise Esther (Saeger) Shaffer did not come into this world quietly to Earl and Emma Saeger, but rather let her arrival on Oct. 9th 1934 be known with the song and dance she so later was known for.

I was privileged and honored to have spent some years with her and to be by her side as her soul gleefully departed the body that served it for 80 long years on Feb.8th 2015. Parkinson’s began robbing Louise in 1999 of many things but never her vibrant spirit as her sister-in-law Doris so beautifully described her. VIBRANT!

Louise had 11 siblings with Clarence being first but sadly was stillborn. She always counted him with Earl Saeger Jr., Shirley, Elaine, Gene, Gerald, Marlene, Bob, Ruth, Lloyd and Kenneth. Gene said it the best of their humble beginnings-“My brothers and sisters grew up on a farm near Townville Pa. We weren’t rich, but I never thought we were poor either. We raised a big garden, our own meat, milk and eggs. There were 11 of us living children, with Louise being the 6th oldest. As the older kids left the farm, the remaining eldest one soon became Louise. We younger ones named her “the foreman.” It was her job to make sure the farm work was done by her and us younger kids to please our Dad. She was a hard worker and could equal a guy’s work her age. At times, she’d have to chase us around the farm to get the work accomplished. We laughed while being chased at the time, but now I realize the responsibilities placed upon her. She was always fair and looked out for us younger ones. She deserved a lot of credit for what she did. Thanks Louise.”

She told me many stories of her time on the farm. Being able to visit her grandmother and get a new homemade bonnet was a favorite memory. Louise loved to write and tell stories but she was also a good listener. One of my favorite stories of her and the kids was actually published by Country magazine July 2006. This is how they printed it- “As the oldest child on our farm, I got the dubious pleasure of taking care of my four little brothers and sisters. In the summer, they started begging me to take them swimming the moment they popped out of bed in the morning. So, after we finished all our chores and ate lunch, I’d pile them on our little Farmall Cub tractor and head for the swimming hole.

When we arrived, I did what any responsible big sister would do: I lined them up on the bank and told them to wait until I checked to make sure the water was safe. Fifty years later, I finally confessed to them that I just wanted a nice, clean swim before they churned up all the mud off the creek bottom! We’re still laughing about it!” I can certainly see that famous grin of hers as she repeated this story.

At a young age, Shirley, Louise and Elaine began a singing group called The Saeger Sisters. They were taught to harmonize by the minister’s wife. Shirley remembers they were hired to sing in front of caskets when people use to show their loved ones from home. They were always scared the person would come alive or move and scare them as only young girls imaginations would. They sang specials on the radio and even won first prize at the fair singing Forever and Ever.

Louise attended Townville High School where she played basketball, volleyball and was a drum and feature majorette. Elaine remembers Shirley and Louise putting on a twirling act to Stars and Stripes and how they wowed the crowd. Another fond memory of Elaine’s was a time when the 3 of them wanted to go to Ohio to see their brother Kenny and his wife Toni. (Toni was one of Louise’s favorite people.) Their Dad told them no but as teenagers will, they waited until their parents were asleep, snuck out with pillows and blankets in tow on their adventure. Louise drove to the restaurant where Toni worked. They arrived before it opened so they curled up in the car and waited. They spent a great day on Saturday together before heading home on Sunday to face their consequences.

Louise eventually moved to Philadelphia and stayed with Ruth and family and then the YMCA. Shirley went to Akron to live with brother Bob. As sisters do, the 2 of them decided to get an apartment together. They worked and bought a car that Louise drove, a 1956 Ford- a real humdinger! One night, they went to a dancehall they heard about and a man walked across the floor that caught Shirley’s eye. She turned to Louise and said-“that’s the man I am going to marry!” Bob Shaffer did become her husband just as God had told her and Bob’s friend Melville (Shorty) Shaffer that was also there that night, became Louise’s husband. Their weddings were only a week apart! After they married on Sept. 22 1956, she began working at Roadway Express as a secretary. Those skills never left her as she always kept such detailed records even in the nursing home she was known for staying busy with all her files of pictures, cards and memories from family and friends. Mel and Louise began building a house with the help of the Shaffer’s and Vermillion’s. They soon welcomed their first son on June 30,1957 -Gerald Thomas (Tom) with a second son Darrell Timothy (Tim) to follow. They spent much of their time perfecting their home, dancing, bowling, gardening and following her favorite football team The Pittsburgh Steelers. Now that she is up there on their side, this could be a season to remember. They were involved with the Eagles Club, the VFW, the All-American Soap Box Derby and even participated in the parades.

In November of 2007, Mel passed away with her son Tom following in July of 2008. She made the decision to move to Colorado in 2009 to be with immediate family. She was able to stay in her own apartment with help from family including her step granddaughter, Dawn Darnell for a few years. In 2011 due to continuing health issues, she moved into Malley Avamere Nursing facility where she was known for her singing and dancing. You could hear her coming down the hall singing Mairzy Doats. She came to love the people there that took such great care of her. They did all they could to make her as comfortable as possible in her final hours.

Louise was not a religious person but, on a visit from Shirley and Bob, she accepted Christ as her Savior and began a journey of faith with the help of the Chaplain that visited her often. She put on a cross necklace and never took it off. Louise, like us all, had her thorns and regrets in life. She could hold a grudge whether she felt right or wrong about the situation. It’s not always easy to get along with such a large family and she certainly had her lessons to learn. She was blessed to have so many friends and family members that she loved and spoke of often. I wish I could mention all of you but be comforted that she had wonderful memories to keep her days filled in the home and I hope you take away from this how full her heart was by having you in her life. She would say if she could only go back, she would try to change her human frailties and let forgiveness happen. I hope we all learn the same.

I can speak for many that loved and liked her, what an impression she left on everyone. She was unique, joyful, pleasant and easy to please. Some of my favorite sayings of hers was –“Well, that’d be alright”-no matter what you asked her. I had to learn that she just wanted you to be happy with the decision but give her a few days and she’d call and say, “Well, I’ve been thinking and maybe I’d rather…” It became very endearing. Another would be if anyone had a problem with someone else, she would not speak against them but remind us all that “They are just different”. A lesson I hope I can carry on to honor her.

Louise would like to spend eternity with her son Tom at Ft. Logan Military cemetery in Denver Colo. We hope to get permission and have a service for her on Tom’s birthday this year. I am working on making that happen. She was also preceded in death by bothers Clarence, Bob, Lloyd, Kenneth and her sister Ruth and their parents. She asked me to please have a celebration of life for her with her family in Ohio and Pennsylvania. We will be announcing the date as soon as we can. In lieu of flowers, she would like to have donations made to the Parkinson’s Foundation or the VFW.