Jane Harris Davies Shafer

Jane Harris Davies Shafer, 92, of 875 Dogwood Dr., Meadville, died Monday, March 30, 2009 at Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community.

She was born May 13, 1916 in Pittsburgh, a daughter of the late John William and Belle Phillips Davies.  She married Raymond Philip Shafer July 5, 1941 in Dormont and he preceded her in death December 12, 2006.

Jane was a 1935 graduate of Dormont High School and a 1939 graduate of Allegheny College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Commercial Studies and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.  She was employed at Talon, Inc. as secretary from 1939 to 1941.

She was a member of the former Meadville City Hospital Junior Auxiliary, Bridge Club, Meadville, The Meadville County Club, The Iroquois Club, Conneaut Lake, and The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, VA.  Jane served as Pennsylvania’s First Lady during her late husband, The Honorable Raymond P. Shafer’s term as Pennsylvania Governor from 1967 to 1971.  She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, actively involved as a home room mother at Neason Hill Elementary School, Girl Scout Mother, Cub Scout Den Mother, and she enjoyed collecting antiques, sewing, knitting, cooking, raising Siamese cats, entertaining, and charitable giving.

Jane is survived by a daughter, Diane Elizabeth Shafer Domnick and her husband James W. of Meadville; a son, Raymond Philip Shafer, Jr. of Meadville; three grandchildren, Raymond Philip Shafer III and his wife Anita of Meadville, Shona Elizabeth Strachan of Albuquerque, NM; and Matthew Daniel Shafer of Albuquerque, NM; a great-grandson, Jacob Daniel Shafer of Albuquerque, NM; and a son-in-law, Thomas N. Cranston of Carlisle.  In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Jane Ellen Shafer Cranston; a sister, Mary Martin Davies Hill; and a niece, Susan Elizabeth Hill.

A memorial service and reception will be held Wednesday, May 13th at 5:30 p.m. at the Patricia Bush Tippie Alumni Center, Allegheny College, 520 N. Main Street, Meadville with Dr. Terry Clark, Pastor of First Christian Church, Meadville, officiating.

Interment will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Union Township, Crawford County.

Memorials may be made to the Raymond Philip Shafer Foundation, c/o Crawford Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 908, Meadville, PA 16335.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut St., Meadville.