SHAFER, Carol Jane Hardey
(83), died peacefully on August 6, 2021, with family by her side. She was born June 30, 1938, to Karl and Jane (Bird) Hardey in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was a graduate of Miami University, a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, and a lifelong member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She married John (Jack) David Shafer, Jr. on June 25, 1960. They resided in Oakwood and later, Spring Valley, Ohio. She was a member of the Junior League of Dayton and a supporter of AIM for the Handicapped, the Dayton Ballet, and the Dayton Art Institute. She was a devoted mother to her two sons, and when Jack preceded her in death in 1979, she continued to raise the boys on the farm and encouraged them to explore the world.
Carol was an avid athlete and loved being in nature. She enjoyed biking, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and running
(including completing several marathons). In 1992, she moved to Lake Tahoe, California where she extended her adventure, hiking her beloved mountains. She worked as a ski lift operator and on the Tahoe Gal tour boat. She was an avid world traveler with friends and family but also ventured on many
solo trips where she made friends wherever she went. Carol later moved to Bellingham, Washington, and continued
hiking and biking the mountains and islands of the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Paul Neumann. She brought smiles to many as she walked her neighborhood carrying a
Seattle Seahawks flag. Paul preceded her in death in 2016, and she returned to Dayton, Ohio, to be near her family. Carol will always be remembered for her positive, adventurous
spirit."Carpe diem!" was her favorite expression, and she lived her life accordingly.
Carol is survived by her loving family: sons and daughters-in-law, John Shafer and Amy Gultice of Spring Valley and Tom and Lauren Shafer of Indian Hill, Ohio; grandchildren, Claire, Mac, Lucy, Otto (and fiancé, Charlotte), Evelyn, and Agatha; step-grandchildren, Isabelle, Sophie, and Celie; sister, Sue Eastes, of St. Louis, Missouri; two nephews and their families; and many friends throughout the country. The family would like to thank the nurses, aides, and staff of the St. Leonard
Assisted Living community for their wonderful care and
support of Carol, especially throughout the pandemic.
A family memorial service (including a hike!) was held on the family farm in Spring Valley. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Carol can be made to the Ohio Chapter of The
Nature Conservancy, Girls on the Run, or the Alzheimer's
Association.
SHAFER, Carol
