John "Fred" Shaffner

John "Fred" Shaffner, 65, of Ft. Madison, IA, formerly of Salem, died Friday, September 22, 2006, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The family will greet friends at a visitation on Monday, September 25, 2006, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the Salem Congregational Church in Salem, Iowa. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, September 26, 2006, at 10:00 a.m., at the Salem Congregational Church, with Pastor Harold Dorsey and Pastor Jon Heyland officiating. The family will also greet friends one hour prior to the memorial service. According to his wishes, Fred's body has been cremated. Memorials have been established to the American Diabetes Association. The Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel of Mt. Pleasant is in charge of arrangements. The son of John C. and Virginia A. Connor Shaffner, Fred was born on August 19, 1941, in Hillsboro, Iowa. He was a 1960 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School. On February 6, 1960, he married Patricia Smith at the Salem Congregational Church. The couple later divorced. After his marriage, Fred worked at the Salem News until the paper was no longer printed. He then worked for the Mt. Pleasant News. Fred retired in 2001, from General Electric in Burlington, IA, after 32 years of employment, where he worked first as a welder and then worked his way up through the plant to the position of production coordinator. A nature lover, Fred especially enjoyed watching hummingbirds. He liked hunting, fishing, bowling, game playing, golfing and camping. Fred had been a Boy Scout leader, a member of the Salem Lions Club and the Fort Madison Moose. He attended the Harvest Bible Church in Fort Madison. Fred is survived by Sharon of Fort Madison, IA; two daughters, Nancy and her husband Mick Sones of Minneapolis, MN and Carmen Shaffner of Richmond, VA; one son, John Shaffner Jr. of Salem, IA; one grandson, Elton Shaffner of Salem, IA; four sisters, Marie and her husband Bob Mendenhall of Mt. Pleasant, IA, Margaret and her husband Gil Wilson of Deltona, FL, Debbie Muzick of Chariton, IA, and Chris and her husband Bruce Lindquist of Fort Madison, IA; and two brothers, Raymond Smithburg of Waterloo, IA and Ronnie Smithburg and his wife Marilyn of Salem, IA. Fred was preceded in death by his parents.