Estaleva Lavon Cotte Shafer

Estaleva LaVon Cotte Shafer was born on November 6, 1926, in Blair, Nebraska, to Florence and Blanche Cotte. She passed away on January 30, 2022. LaVon, as she preferred to be called, was the youngest of five girls. Growing up in the Depression, LaVon and her sisters learned how to work hard and live frugally.

She married Edwin Shafer on September 10, 1944, in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he was a ministerial student at Union College. They served as a pastoral team for 61 years in: Wyoming, Nebraska, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan. After official retirement they served as interim pastor in Dublin, Ireland, and Hilo, Hawaii. LaVon and Edwin enjoyed traveling and participating in Maranatha Projects around the world.

Edwin and LaVon were blessed with seven children, who were all taught to love Jesus, appreciate their education, and to never shirk hard work. As an example to her family, in her 50s, LaVon completed a lifelong dream of becoming a Nurse. She graduated at the top of her class, and then she worked as a nurse into her late 70s. She was a caring and compassionate nurse.

LaVon was a wonderful asset to Edwin’s ministry with her lovely soprano voice, her winning smile, her cheerful personality, and her organizational ability. She was exceptional in telling Children’s Stories and teaching Children’s Sabbath School classes. Although she didn’t have much time for hobbies, LaVon loved to sew and often made her own and her children’s clothes.

She baked thousands of loaves of delicious whole wheat bread, and provided daily meals for her large family and many frequent guests. At most Sabbath dinners visitors at church or lonely, hurting people whom Pastor Shafer had invited home, would gather with the large Shafer family and enjoy the simple, delicious food.

One unusual pursuit LaVon enjoyed was using a chainsaw to provide firewood to heat their home, and she was not shy about inviting family and visitors to join her in carrying chunks of wood to the house. She was willing to interrupt her work to play games of touch football or basketball with the family.

The rare times she sat still, LaVon loved to read her Bible and church periodicals. She did enjoy sitting in her rocking chair, cuddling and singing to each baby or grand-baby.

LaVon was preceded in death by: her parents, her four sisters, Edwin, her husband of 62 years, their daughter Ruthi Shafer, great-granddaughter Skylar Fisher, and daughter-in-law Jeannine (David) Shafer. She is survived by her children: Edwin (Connie) Shafer, David (Kitty) Shafer, Rose (Fred) Fuller, Sam (Marina) Shafer, Joseph (Carrie) Shafer, Rebekah (David) Manley; 22 Grandchildren; 34 Great-grandchildren; 2 Great-Great-Grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.

The funeral service for LaVon Shafer will be held at the McDonald Road Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sabbath, February 12, 2022, at 3 p.m. Visitation with family will be held before the service from 2 to 3 at the church. A private family burial will be held on Monday, February 14, at 10 a.m. in the Floydsburg Cemetery in Crestwood, Ky.