Dolores "Toni" A. Shaffer

Dolores A. Shaffer nee Shields “Toni” Born Sept. 20 1930 in Philadelphia and lived there until she retired to Wilmington Delaware and moved to Luther Towers. She was the middle child of Frank and Catherine Shields.

She  married Ira R. Shaffer on Thanksgiving Day in 1948 and they were together for 25 years.  She attended Palethorpe Church where she taught Sunday School and ran the nursery.  She went to Philadelphia College of the Bible and graduated with honors.in 1967.  Although a secretary by profession she loved working with children. She was a long time member of PAL ,the Police Athletic League,  where she taught softball and sewing and organized fund raisers to support local Kensington youth.  She was named "Woman of the Year " in 1974 for her unselfish work with troubled children.  Mayor Rizzo presented her with the award.  She was the President of the PTA at her daughters school for 4 years and continued to be an advocate for children with the School District of Philadelphia for many years.

Toni loved to travel and has visited almost all of the 50 states but she spent many summers in Miami Florida.  She was always up for a road trip and once drove across the country to see family in California.  Her faith and church family has always been a major part of her life.  Although the church might change her faith did not!  After moving to Delaware she attended the 1st Baptist Church of Delaware where she loved her Sunday School class, Prayer Circle and Worship services.  Her most important roles in life were as a daughter who cared for both her parents thru their illnesses and as a powerful example of wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  She was a surrogate "Mom " and " Grandmom"  to many.

She is survived by her only daughter Catherine Walker and her partner John Tiberi.  She was the ever proud grandmother of Mark Walker and wife Cortnie and Matthew Walker and wife Sarah and Young John.  Her great grand children Alaria, Grayson and Logan Walker will love and miss their “GGMom”.  Her oldest brother Frank Shields will miss his traveling buddy very much! She is loved and will be missed by many nieces and nephews and many "family" of the heart and her best friends Ethel and Henry.

Toni is predeceased by her parents Frank and  Catherine Shields, her sister Charlotte Tanner, her brothers Robert Shields and Gerald Shields, her husband Ira R. Shaffer, her grandson Cody, Granddaughter Patricia, and great-grandson Jarrett. 

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday July 1, at 9:00am at the Corleto-Latina FAMILY CENTER, 807 N. Union St. Wilmington, where family and friends are invited to visit after 8:00am.  Interment will follow funeral service in Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Ambler, PA.