Steven L. Shafer

Steve Shafer, 60, passed away Wednesday, September 1, 2010 in Des Moines, Iowa.

He was born July 18, 1950 to Patricia and Don Shafer in Des Moines, IA. Steve grew up on the south side of Des Moines, was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Lincoln High School as class valedictorian. He began his passion for education at Iowa State University where he received his BS in Economics in 1972. Steve later continued his education and obtained his Accounting Certificate from Simpson College in 1985 and a Masters of Accounting degree in 2001 from Iowa State University.

Steve was a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant. Prior to joining the Simpson faculty in 2003, he worked in the Des Moines area for 25 years as a business manager, controller and vice-president of finance. He began teaching in 1991 as an adjunct instructor for colleges in the greater Des Moines area and finished his 18 year teaching career as an associate professor of accounting at Simpson College.

Steve’s life focus was family, friends, fellow faculty and his students. He enjoyed traveling with his wife and friends, boating and attending athletic events. He was a passionate and longtime swimming, baseball and basketball coach. Steve was an avid learner and loved teaching others. In a recent article commemorating Steve’s teaching career, he stressed to his students to “always give a good effort and never give up.”

Left to honor his memory are his wife of 38 years, Katherine (Anania) Shafer, daughter Melissa (Chris) Ollila; sons Matthew (Kathy) Shafer and Michael (Ashley) Shafer; mother Patricia W. Shafer; mother-in-law Mary Louise Anania; brothers Stan Shafer and Tony (Roxana) Young; sister-in-law Chris (Cecil White) Anania; grandchildren Collin and Caleb Shafer and Allie and Kaylee Ollila. Steve is preceded in death by his father Don P. Shafer and father-in-law Samuel Anania.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Dr. Angela Sandre and her staff, as well as all the caregivers from Iowa Health Homecare and Hospice.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 4th at St. Augustin’s Catholic Church with burial following at Resthaven Cemetery. A visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. with a scripture service at 7 p.m. Friday at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Steve Shafer Scholarship Fund at Simpson College.

www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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