Evelyn Shafner
Denver native and locally-acclaimed writer Evelyn “Patsy” Shafner passed away on May 27, 2022, at the age of 91. A service was held May 29 at Mt. Nebo Memorial Park, officiated by Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky and Cantor Martin Goldstein. Shalom Funerals made the arrangements.
Mrs. Shafner was a substitute teacher for many years, tutoring in language arts and writing. Writing was one of her biggest hobbies, and at the age of 85 she penned the novel Champa Street, titled after the street in downtown Denver. Mrs. Shafner’s book told the tale of a romantic relationship and how that affected a brother and sister in the 1930s.
“Everyone has a compulsion,” Mrs. Shafner told the IJN in 2016, “and mine is writing. It is a good one.”
Mrs. Shafner’s daughter Bonnee Oderberg told the IJN at the time, “I would wake up in the middle of the night and hear her typing away.”
Raised on Denver’s West Side and a product of Teller Elementary School in Congress Park, Mrs. Shafner’s family later moved to the East Side. She attended CU Boulder for three years and received her degree in teaching.
Mrs. Shafner shared a 63-year marriage with her husband Sol, who passed away in 2014.
“She happily spoke to so many strangers, eager to hear their life stories and re-tell them later to her friends and family,” her family said.
Mrs. Shafner was in the National Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah and Jewish Family Service. She was a longtime member of BMH-BJ.
Survivors are children Bonnee (Nate) Oderberg, Rhonda (Eric Weisberg) Shafner, Susan (Marc) Mishan and Jodi (Michael) Gertell; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and siblings Sheree, Jean and Jerry.
Contributions may be made to the NCJW, Hadassah or JFS.
Copyright © 2022 by the Intermountain Jewish News
