Russell Patrick Shafer

Russell Patrick Shafer, age 81, of Saline Michigan, passed away on Tuesday, July 3, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan surrounded by his family. Pat, as he was known to family and friends, lived an active life centered around family, work, and sports. Pat’s professional life started upon graduation from Petoskey High school in 1962, when he worked at McGluaghlin Manufacturing in Petoskey with his father. After moving downstate with a young family in 1965, Pat worked briefly at the Ypsilanti State Hospital. Pat was then hired by General Motors where he began on the assembly line at the Hydramatic Plant in Willow Run. While working and raising a family, Pat earned a degree from the General Motors Institute and was subsequently promoted to management. When he retired from GM more than 40 years later, Pat was a respected and well liked General Supervisor of Quality Assurance. His children take great pride in his ascension through the working ranks, and that his name was known in assembly plants all around the world. As a boy, Pat developed a passion for sports, particularly baseball and basketball, and all things competitive. In his early 20s, Pat took an interest in golf, which he attributed in large part to watching Arnold Palmer on television. He passed on a love of “the great game” to his family, which stands as a lasting legacy for his children and grandchildren. During his young adult years, Pat also played competitive flag football, basketball, and softball, sometimes traveling for regional, state, national, and world championships. He also taught his family how to play many card and board games, including Euchre, cribbage, hearts, spades, checkers, chess, etc. To this day, games are a common feature at family gatherings. Pat was the ultimate jokester and enjoyed making people laugh; he shared his favorite jokes with virtually everyone he met. Pat was preceded in death by his parents, Arlington Wayne Shafer and Edith Marguerite Shafer (Huston), as well as his brother Robert Lawrence Shafer. He is survived by his brother Ronald George Shafer; his son Richard Thomas (Diane) Shafer and grandchildren Daniel James and Thomas Joseph; his daughter Heather Renee (Michael) Jones and grandchildren Amberly Rose and Chelsea Marie; and his son Luke Arlington (Emily) Shafer and grandchild Elowen Louise; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends. A celebration of Russell's life will be held at date yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society of Huron Valley.

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Russell Patrick Shafer

May 30, 1944 - July 3, 2025