Sally Louise Shaffer, beloved mother of two and grandmother to seven, passed away after years of living courageously with lung disease on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 in Centerville Ohio. Sally was born in Johnstown, PA on April 24, 1944, the eldest child of the late Robert R. and Sara L. (Cuppett) Griffith.
She leaves behind her husband of 53 years, Gary, and her children, Erin (Jim) Small and Adam (Erin Miller) Shaffer, along with her grandchildren: Owen, Nora, Liam Small and Marie, Eva, Jane, and Abe Shaffer. She is additionally survived by her sister, Alice (Jan) Erling; brother, Jim (Carol) Griffith; sister-in-law Cathy (Steve) Woods, and nieces and nephews that she loved dearly.
Gary and Sally were married in 1970 and resided in Columbus Ohio while Gary attended Ohio State University and Sally worked as a physical therapist in the burn unit at Children’s Hospital. They moved to Proctorville Ohio in 1973 when Gary took a job with Texaco; Erin was born there shortly after. Sally chose to stay at home and raise her children, a job that she devoted much love, time and attention to doing well. Gary and Sally moved to Springboro Ohio in 1975 and Adam was born in 1976. In Springboro, Sally became an involved and rooted member of her community, active in her church and volunteering regularly with TWIGs, a fundraising auxiliary for Dayton Children’s Hospital, and Springboro’s school PTOs. She made many close friends while supporting the schools and later was an enthusiastic spectator at Adam’s many sporting events. She was a preschool teacher at Springboro Preschool Discovery for 20 years, retiring in 2007. She loved both working with children and writing curriculum.
Sally was wise, feisty and kind. She could be counted on to be prepared for every possibility, even the ones you might not want to hear about. Members of her family knew to call once they reached their destination, because she would be worrying until they got there. She cared deeply about the details of the lives of everyone she encountered, and was an excellent reteller of stories.Sally had little patience for shopping or cooking on a regular basis but made birthday cakes of any theme requested for each of Erin and Adam’s childhood birthdays.
She loved to spend time in her garden, raising lovely flowers and an abundant vegetable garden. Her skill with sewing meant she created many of Erin’s clothes when she was a baby, made elaborate Halloween costumes, and later came to the rescue of countless stuffed animals in need of repair. She made baby blankets for each of her grandchildren, which to this day are cherished items. She loved books, home improvement and veterinary television shows. and any sports program with a human interest angle. She followed local and national politics intently and her opinions were strong, thoughtful and informed. Sally and Gary were both devoted to a long line of cherished dogs, including their golden retriever, Molly. She quietly touched the lives of many circles of friends.
Sally’s greatest love and the focus of her most specific and fierce attention was her family. She was an outstanding daughter, sister and aunt. Her children and grandchildren have been blessed by the extraordinary attention to detail and care that she provided as they grew; her favorite songs, games and stories are part of the fabric of each of their childhood memories. Sally and Gary’s love for each other is one that is seldom matched.They were each other’s very best friend and companion and loved nothing more than to be in each other’s company.
Her family is heartbroken by her absence but blessed beyond measure by her memory.
A visitation for Sally will be held Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Anderson Funeral Home, 1357 E. 2nd St., Franklin, Ohio 45005, followed by a Memorial Service at 4:00 PM.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.andersonfunerals-franklin.com for the Shaffer family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Healthwell Foundation at www.healthwellfoundation.org or the Humane Association of Warren County at https://www.homelesspets.org
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