Marvin Baker Schaffer

Marvin Baker Schaffer, age 91, of Thousand Oaks, CA, passed away on Saturday, January 13, 2018 (27 Tevet 5778). Marvin was born July 14, 1926 in New York, New York, to Joseph and Bessie (neé Baker) Schaffer.

Marvin is survived by his daughters, Jody (John) Jacobs, Merri Nelson, and Leslie (Girma) Belay; and his grandchildren, Chandra (fiancée Brendan Heck) Jacobs, Nebiyu Belay, Kassa (fiancée Justine Gonzalez) Belay, B'rouk Belay, Micah Nelson, and Dane Nelson. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Betty Schaffer, Of Blessed Memory.

Funeral services for Marvin will be held Friday, January 19, 2018 from 11:00 AM to 12 PM, concluding at graveside, in Eden Memorial Park. Services will be officiated by Rabbi Michael Barclay. Serving as casket bearers are Micah Nelson, Dane Nelson, B'rouk Belay, Kassa Belay, John Jacobs and Girma Belay. Flowers are being accepted. Honors will be presented by the United States Army.

Marv, as he was usually referred to, was a highly regarded military analyst and world traveler, having visited over 200 countries. Marv was born in Brooklyn, New York on July 14, 1926. He proudly served in the United States Army during World War II, and was honorably discharged as a Private First Class in 1946. Subsequently, Marv received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in chemical engineering from Cooper Union School of Engineering in New York, New York, and a Master’s of Science degree in chemical engineering, from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey. In 1961, Marv accepted a position on the research staff at the RAND Corporation, in Santa Monica, California. Moving his family across the country, Marv landed at his long-time home in Rustic Canyon, in Pacific Palisades, until relocating in 2016, to Thousand Oaks, California. While at RAND as a senior physical scientist, Marv specialized in analysis of military operations, capabilities and systems, with several inventions and patents to his credit. After his retirement in 1991, Marv continued his research as an adjunct RAND staff member. During this time Marv published multiple papers on counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, hydro and nuclear energy, military strategy and geopolitics, and missile defense, all of which are available on his web site: www.marvinbakerschaffer.com. Marv made important contributions toward the safety and security of the country and will be sorely missed by colleagues, friends and family alike.

Arrangements are under the direction of Groman Eden Mortuary.