Dr. James D. Shaffer 1925-2022

Dr. James D. Shaffer 1925-2022

Dr. James D. Shaffer, 97, Sarasota, Fla., passed away July 13, 2022, in Sarasota County, Fla., after a long and distinguished life and career.

He is survived by his wife Helene (Washburn) Shaffer, two children, Lauri Olsen (Ed) and Cynthia Buchan (Barry), and three stepchildren, Joselyn Ferres Kelley (Steven), Christine Ferres Rohrer (Karl) and Jack Ferres (Judith). Jim is also survived by 10 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his first wife, Carol (Warwick) Shaffer; his second wife, Bernadette (Ferres) Shaffer; his two sons, Mark and Kim Shaffer; a brother, Roy Shaffer (Betty); and a stepgrandson, Keith Kelley.

Born in Indiana, Penn., Jim was the son of the late Harry and Erma Shaffer and raised in Tekonsha, Mich. He studied at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan, and received a BA (1947) and Ph.D (1957) from Michigan State University in agricultural economics. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946. Following communications training at Harvard University, he graduated from Northwestern’s midshipman’s school.

Dr. James D. Shaffer was a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Agriculture Economics at Michigan State University. Throughout most of his professional career he held variable appointments including teaching, research, extension, consulting and public service. At the time of his retirement in 1997, and beginning with teaching his first class, Economics 101, as a graduate assistant, he completed 50 years of service to MSU.

Jim retired to Sarasota and continued consulting for several years while trying to ease into retirement. He traveled internationally for work and took road trips around the U.S. to visit family and presidential libraries. He enjoyed swimming in his wave pool, fishing off his dock, walking on the beach and getting together with old friends from MSU and new friends from Siesta Key.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 19 at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Rd. 72, Sarasota, Fla. National Cremation and Burial Society of Sarasota, Fla., is taking care of arrangements.

(PAID OBITUARY)

The Holton Recorder

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