Thomas Shafer

View Tom Shafer's Funeral Service Here: https://vimeo.com/696256764

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Thomas Mather Shafer of Fargo, ND, passed away on Sunday, April 3, 2022, at the age of 86. After several months of declining health, Tom died peacefully with his wife Marlys and family by his side.

Thomas was born on July 27, 1935, to Stanley and Marguerite Shafer in Oakes, North Dakota. The oldest of five children, Tom grew up in Fargo and attended Fargo Central High School, lettering in football, basketball, and track. He played baseball for Fargo Post 2 in the summers. After graduating in 1953, he attended Concordia College in Moorhead, where he played football. He enlisted in the Army in 1954 and served in Korea for one year. When he returned from Korea, he enrolled at The University of North Dakota, where he majored in Business Administration and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. While in college, he met Marlys Waldon. They graduated from UND in 1959 and were married on July 9, 1961, in Moorhead, MN.

In 1963, Tom and Marlys opened the Shafer Employment Agency in downtown Fargo. Over the next Thirty years, Tom helped thousands of people get jobs and was an active part of the downtown Fargo business community. He was a member of the Administrative Management Society (AMS), Kiwanis International, Toastmasters, and the Elks Club. He was a member of First United Methodist Church for 83 years. Tom and Marlys raised two daughters, Audrey and Sheila, and were supporters of Fargo North High School activities and members of the Spartan Booster Club. After selling the
employment agency, Tom tried retirement for a few years. In 1997 he took over the management of Riverside Cemetery in Fargo, a position he loved because he enjoyed working with people and being immersed in Fargo's history. He worked at the cemetery into his 80s. Tom's hobbies included stamp collecting, traveling, reading about history, fixing things with duct tape, and anything connected to World War II.

Once his grandchildren were born, Tom's happiest moments were spent as a grandpa. He loved planning special outings and taking his grandchildren out to eat or for a special treat. He gave elaborate and detailed boat tours of Big Floyd Lake, made up stories and songs, and always loved a good prank. As the grandchildren grew older, Tom and Marlys became "super fans" and rarely missed a sporting event or school activity.

Tom is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marlys; his daughters Audrey (Jay) Erickson of Fargo, ND; Sheila (Mitch) McLeod of Detroit Lakes, MN; his grandchildren Connor (Lexi) McLeod of Fort Dodge, IA; Kirk McLeod of Kearney, NE; Jack Erickson of Moorhead, MN; Kai McLeod of the U.S. Marine Corps, Oceanside, CA; Anna Erickson of St. Paul, MN; Ellen Erickson of Fargo, ND; Tony McLeod of Detroit Lakes, MN; and Jordan McLeod of Detroit Lakes, MN; and one great-grandchild Maren Mae McLeod of Fort Dodge, IA. He is also survived by his siblings Judy Williams of Arizona, Dennis (Meg) Shafer of Arizona, Sharon (Ray) Lill of Arizona, and Karen Lundblad (Lucy McIver) of Oregon;
brother-in-law David (Louise) Waldon of Minnesota; sister-in-law Gail Afseth of Texas, along with numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of Tom's life will be held on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at 10:30 am at First United Methodist Church in Fargo. A visitation will be held one hour before the service. Burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery in Fargo.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Eventide and Ethos Hospice for their care and support.

People wishing to honor Tom are encouraged to make a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at michaeljfox.org.