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.
Sheldon Sheftel
Denver native and businessman Sheldon Sheftel passed away on May 2, 2022, at the age of 87. A service was held May 4 at Emanuel Cemetery, officiated by Cantor Elizabeth Sacks. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Mr. Sheftel grew up in Denver and went to East High School. Following graduation from the University of Missouri in 1957, he served in the Army Reserve.
After his military service, Mr. Sheftel returned to Denver for a number of ventures. He owned the China Doll Chinese Restaurant, then owned, managed and developed real estate.
“He was kind, he had a deep loving concern for his family and children, and a genuine concern about other people,” his son, Dan Sheftel, said. “He would always stick up for the underdog.
Mr. Sheftel was married to his wife of more than 35 years, Kathy. They divorced.
Survivors are Kathy Hudson; children Daniel Sheftel and Joseph (Erin) Sheftel; and two grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
JoAnn and Charles Schloss, Jr.
A married couple of 73 years, JoAnn and Charles Schloss, Jr. both died; Mrs. Schloss on May 27, 2022, at the age of 89, and Mr. Schloss on Dec. 9, 2021, at the age of 91. Services are pending. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Mr. and Mrs. Schloss were married on December 28, 1949. According to the family, they fell in love while attending East High School and “never wavered in their deep love for one another, holding hands until Chuck’s death.”
Mr. Schloss was a CU graduate in engineering physics, and did post-graduate work in orbital mechanics at MIT. He founded Schloss Engineered Equipment, held 13 patents and received CU’s Distinguished Engineering Alumni award.
He was a city council member and deputy mayor of Cherry Hills Village.
He was in the US Army, and received a gold medal from the Society of Military Engineers for his research and development work on guided missiles.
“He was a brilliant engineer with an intensely curious mind and a passion for learning, building and creating,” the family said. “He also had a keen interest in genealogy.”
Mrs. Schloss graduated Phi Beta Kappa at CU, and established the City and County of Denver’s Commission on Youth while working at the Commission on Community Relations. She founded Profitable Decisions, Inc., a research, consulting and training firm to clients seeking new ventures.
She was an adjunct faculty in CU Denver’s Dept. of Communications, teaching communication, business and professional speaking; and then, at Regis University, taught business management for 20 years.
Mrs. Schloss was on local boards of Leadership Denver and the Colorado Women’s Forum.
“She was an outlier, an activist, a leader and was always ahead of the times,” her family said. “She led by example and flair.”
Survivors are children Charles Murdock “Chic” Schloss III, Sindi Schloss Romanella and Kristy Anne Schloss; and two grandchildren.
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