Donald Arthur Shafer

Donald Arthur Shafer, age 86, of Centralia, Washington, passed away on May 21, 2022. He was preceded by his wife of 59 years, Patricia Fay (Ticknor) Shafer, age 78, on March 29, 2020.

Donald was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1935 and grew up in Salzer Valley on the eastern side of Centralia. He attended the one-room Salzer Valley Schoolhouse until it was closed in 1944. After graduating from Centralia High School, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1954 and served his country for just under four years. After the service, he attended Centralia Community College (where he met Patricia) and then Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture in 1965.

Patricia Fay (Ticknor) Shafer was born in Chehalis, Washington, in 1941. She grew up on a dairy farm in north Centralia and graduated from Centralia High School in 1959. She went on to attend Centralia Community College, where she met Donald. They were married in 1960. She accompanied him to Pullman where they started their family.

In 1967, Donald and Patricia moved into a house of their own in Salzer Valley and lived there, raising their family and farming until they each passed away.

Donald was born to Arthur Bourgette and Anna Svinth. After Anna divorced and remarried, he was adopted by his stepfather, Charles Shafer. Patricia was born to Ruthven Charles Ticknor and Rosa Lucile (Durman) Ticknor. Donald was preceded in death by his sister Joanne (Shafer) Hotopp. Patricia was preceded by her brothers James Alden Warman, Glen Wade Warman, Ruthven James Ticknor and Donald Ticknor; and by her sisters Dottie (Warman) Hopkins and Dorothy (Ticknor) Peterson. She is survived by her sister Charlotte (Ticknor) Jolly.

Donald and Patricia are survived by their daughters Julie Shafer, Elizabeth Schalk, Phyllis Owen (Arthur) and Carolyn Sabin (Darren); grandchildren Stephen Mohney (Lindsey), Aaron Mahoney, Matthew Mohney, KT Hernandez (Robert), Levi Sabin, Kadin Sabin, Jeffery Hulse and Jenna Zachman (Steaven); and great-grandchildren Micah Mohney, Ezra Mohney and Luke Zachman.

A joint memorial service for both Donald and Patricia will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 11 a.m., at  Newell-Hoerling’s Mortuary, 205 W. Pine St., Centralia, Washington. All are welcome to attend. The service will also be live streamed and recorded. Please contact Newell-Hoerling’s Mortuary if you are interested in watching the service remotely. 

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