Mrs. Arlene Shaffer
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Our hearts are breaking with the loss of our beloved Mother, Arlene M. (Willey) Shaffer ,90, on May 4, 2021. She passed at Homestead of Auburn. Arlene was born September 6, 1930 to Earl A and Merle Margaret (Knight) Willey on a farm near Liberty, Nebraska. Arlene was raised on a farm near Liberty and graduated from Barneston High School in 1948 after the family moved to town.
After marrying Delmar Shaffer and living in Marysville, Kansas, they moved to Topeka in 1956, they later divorced and she achieved her greatest life's accomplishment of raising six children on her own.
Arlene was a stay at home mom who took great pride in being the best mom to her family and all the children who passed through her home day care. After her youngest was in high school she went to work at Brewster Place in the housekeeping department for 20 years. After retiring she worked at Mommy & Me for 20 years. She was always supportive of all her grandkids by attending school and sporting events. She was always everyone's mom, grandma or Gigi.
She loved to hand embroider and taught her daughters to master the art. She enjoyed baking. Her specialty was chocolate chip and sugar cookies. In later years she would entertain herself with television, music and word search books.
She is survived by her children and spouses; Curtis (Debra Rishel), Clayton, Carolyn (Dennis) Fisher, Connie (Doug) Gould, Charles (Karen), Carla Garvin. Special son at heart Jimmy Clark (Karla). Grandchildren; Michael Rishel, Valerie Rishel, Azalea Dominguez, Geoffrey McCall, Jacob Fisher, Natiika Martens, Jennifer Gould, Grant Gould, Travis Gould, Caleb Shaffer, Colin Shaffer and Colby Shaffer. Numerous Great and Great-Great grandchildren. Sister Verda Matthews, Yuma, Arizona. Many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by Grandson Marshall Gould, Son-in-law Brian Garvin; parents, brothers Leslie, Elmo (Betty) and Lyle Willey, Sisters -Betty Eisenhauer (Ray), Jewell Melvin, JoAnn Affholder (Lee).
Memorial contributions may be made to Meals on Wheels or Ronald McDonald House.
The family will greet friends from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm Friday, May 7, at the Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel at 10th and Lane.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 am Saturday May 8, at the funeral home followed by burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. To leave a message for the family online please visit www.PenwellGabelTopeka.com.