Mr Douglas Martin Shaffer

Douglas Martin Shaffer
April 1 1941 – March 23 2019
Doug was born in Fresno Ca to Kyle and Mildred Shaffer. In some way’s his was a normal childhood, in other ways, not. He left home at 16 and moved in with his Sister Lois and her husband Bill. High school was sometimes a second thought, but he stuck with it and graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School, and began college. He was not going to finish college any time soon, however.
Interests drew him to purchase a small service station, then at the outskirts of Fresno on Blackstone Avenue. Just as he was getting into the swing of small business ownership, Uncle Sam asked for his help in the US Army. Although proud of this great country, enlisted service was not to his taste. His wife and eventual family were the best parts of the whole experience. He served 1963 to 1965 in the regular army, and completed his service with the army reserve.
He and his bride Rosemary returned to Fresno in December 1965. He worked for Dow Chemical in Fresno from 1966 to 1975; while there he was instrumental in installation of a new flagpole to fly the US flag. Also during this period, he and Rosemary had three children: Doug, Brian and Brenda. Family life suited Doug very well.
Doug enjoyed amateur photography, including developing his own film in the garage and sometimes the bathtub.
1973 was known as “Eat Across America Tour 1” due to the 3-week round trip journey to visit Rosemary’s family on the east coast. The extensive slide show of scenery and meals from this and the 1978 reprise “Eat Across America Tour 2” were sure to put the nephews and nieces to sleep, but preserved and recounted the joy of family vacationing. Family camping; was also enjoyed in tents and the Coleman pop-up trailer throughout his life.
From 1976 to his retirement in 2003, Doug worked various positions for Fresno Unified School District. He began with archiving microfilm records, and wound up programming computer subroutines.
He did finally return to college and graduated in 1986, from CSU Fresno with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Applications and Systems. Those are his earthly achievements.
Spiritually, he was raised in the Catholic Church. However, his true faith and conversion was a sudden event, and he was not shy to recount his conversion experience and the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit. From that point Doug was an evangelical Catholic, participating in many groups that foster a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. He and Rosemary traveled the world to visit with and share with like-minded believers. A favorite verse, “This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24. He was also fond of John 3:16-17…always wanting you to remember verse 17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Doug also reminds that prayer is the only communication with the Father, and he was avid. He volunteered over 1,500 hours with the Chaplains at Valley Children’s Hospital, was active with the Prayer and Life Workshop, and as a Eucharistic Minister with Saint Joachim Catholic Church.
Doug loved his family dearly and God deeply. His parents, his sisters Lois, Phyllis and Diane, and his brother Stephen precede him. He is survived by is wife of 53 years Rosemary, sons Doug and Brian, daughter Brenda, and grandchildren Nathan, Emily, and Melissa.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated, Friday, March 29, 2019, 11:00 A.M. at St. Joachim Catholic Church, Madera, CA
Interment to follow at Fresno Memorial Gardens, at 2:00 P.M.