Jeffrey Shaffer

Pfc Jeffrey Paul Shaffer, 21, of Waco, an Infantryman with the U.S. Army, died on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at Ar Ramadi, Iraq while proudly serving the country he loved. He was killed in action in Iraq when a Bradley assualt vehicle he was riding in hit a roadside bomb.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Bellmead Calvary Baptist Church, 912 East Loop 340. His grandfather, Rev. Lester Adams, will officiate at the service.

A procession led by his father, Mark Adams, and the Texas Patriot Guard Motorcycle Riders will travel to the Union Cemetery near Donie, Texas for full military committal services by the U.S. Army.

We will have a procession to Union Cemetery
from the church lead by the Patriot Riders Group and you are invited to join the
procession with us. Here are the directions
if you wish to go alone:

1. Leaving the church, turn left onto Loop 340
2. Go 2.8 miles to Highway 6 and go under the overpass
3. Turn left on highway 6 and go 7.1 miles to Highway 164
4. Take the left Y off highway 6 and go 7.5 miles to Mart
5. Go straight through Mart and go 18 miles to Groesbeck
6. Stay on highway 164 straight thru Groesbeck
7. Go 13.9 miles to FM 489
8. Turn left on FM 489 and go 2.8 miles
9. Turn right at the Union Cemetery Sign and go .4 mile to cemetery


Jeff will lie in state Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd.

Jeff's family will receive friends and well-wishers during the Visitation from 6 - 8 p.m. Friday at the OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd., Waco, Texas (right across the street from the Heart of Texas Fair Complex).

A specially-made Memorial Video honoring his life and military service will be shown during the day Friday and during the visitation hours.

Jeffrey's sweet soul was released from this world to go to his heavenly home with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, September 13, 2006. Jeff was serving his country and was killed in Ar Ramadi when his Bradley assault vehicle hit a roadside bomb. The Lord was compassionate and Jeff did not suffer, now Jeff will never again know pain, tears, or heartache.

Jeff was saved and was baptized by his Grandpa, the Rev. Lester Adams at Concord Baptist Church where Jeff is still a member. Jeff was fun loving and put great value on making each and every day of his life a day filled with fun and laughter. He will be remembered as a sweet and very loving young man with loads of personality.

He made several close friends while in the Army and spoke of them every time he talked with his family in Waco. Jeff however felt pain at the loss of several friends which included his best friend Pfc. Brett Tribble.

Jeff was a good soldier and talked often of his love of being a soldier. Some of Jeffrey's last words to his Mama were, "Don't be mad or upset with me but in October I am going to re-up." He also went on to say "I think the Army's been good for me." Jeffrey's goals where to move up in rank and do well enough to be a top ranking soldier.

Jeff said he was proud to be an American and to be serving his country. Jeff joined the Army because of 9/11 and the fact he wanted to protect his daughter and family from any more terrorist attacks.

Jeffrey told his Dad "I don't want Stephen and Addrin to have to come over to Iraq to fight so I will stay here until this job is done." Jeffrey has left behind several soldiers he considered close friends: Moreno, Bakaian, Evans and Staff Sgt. Harris of whom he spoke of often.

Jeff will always be with us in our hearts and memories. Jeff had the ability to make you laugh and we will continue to laugh every time we remember the fond times we shared together.

He attended West Junior High and High School. He graduated from Ft. Benning, Ga. on May 5, 2005. He then went to Baumholder, Germany where he was stationed until he was deployed to Iraq in November 2005.

Jeff was born in Waco on March 1, 1985. He was preceded in death by his Grammie, Jean Wiese; grandparents, Lyle and Juanita Shaffer, and a stepbrother, Orion.

He is survived by his daughter, Makayla Grace of Arkansas; parents, Mark and Lisa Adams of Waco; grandfather, Bertis Bryan of Broaddus; grandparents, Rev. Lester and Nan Adams; sister, Amy and Rodney Hill of Midlothian; brothers, Stephen Watkins and Addrin Adams, both of Waco, and Taylor Shaffer of Arkansas; stepbrother, Clint and Cheryl Adams of West; niece, Hannah Hill; nephews, Ethan Hill, Colton and Corbin Adams; uncles, Ronnie Wiese of Waco, and Tom "Puncle" and Dorothy Allen of Arkansas; numerous other aunts, uncles, and cousins, and best friends, LCPL Jimmy Taylor, Lyon Vinson, SPC Joshua Crouch, James Garrett, and Sam Gouer.

Honorary pallbearers will be Stephen Watkins, Addrin Adams, LCPL Jimmy Taylor, Spc. Joshua Crouch, Pvt. Brett White, Sgt. Dallas Allen, SSgt. Heath Adams, Taylor Shaffer, Lyon Vinson, James Garrett, Cody Sanders, Joshua Ramirez, Cody Ramirez, Devin Ramirez, Hadley Adams and J.D. Ayers.

Jeffrey will be missed by all who knew him. HE IS AN AMERICAN SOLDIER AND HERO.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jeffrey's and Pfc. Brett Tribble's names for the proposed Veterans Honor Wall for Central Texas. Mail donations to OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd., Waco, TX 76710.

You may send a welcomed message to his family by clicking on the GUESTBOOK symbol below.

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This is a copy of the newspaper article which appeared in the Waco Tribune-Herald that honored the young soldier:

FALLEN
By Tim Woods
Waco Tribune-Herald staff writer
www.wacotrib.com
September 16, 2006 (Page 1)

Lisa Adams cried as she talked about the death of her son, Army Pfc. Jeffrey Shaffer, killed in action in Iraq on Wednesday when a Hummer he was riding in passed over a roadside bomb.

She laughed heartily as she recalled her son's fun-loving, prankster ways. Then she flashed a sheepish smile as she pondered what he would think of her reaction.

"He just loved life," Lisa said. "I know he'd be mad at me for being so upset, but he's my baby and I can't help but be upset. But, above all, he'd be upset if he thought that people thought he died in vain. He didn't."

Lisa and her husband, Mark Adams, were told of their son's death Wednesday afternoon. On Friday, the Waco couple spent the day doing what no parent should be burdened with.

"We had to plan our son's funeral today," Lisa said, "and you just shouldn't have to do that for your child."

Despite their grief, the couple willingly spoke of Jeff's life, his goals, his good times and bad. Most of all, they spoke about the characteristics that made their son so special to his family and everybody he came in contact with.

"He was humble and shy," Lisa said. "He didn't want attention on him, unless he was goofing off."

"He was pulling pranks and goofing all the time," Mark recalled with a pained smile. "He had a really sweet, warm face and smile. He tried to act tough, but he had a really sweet heart."

Jeff Shaffer, 21, who attended West High School, surprised his mother with a phone call in February 2005, when he asked her to dig up his birth certificate and fax it to him.

"What number should I fax it to?" Lisa remembered asking her son. "Then he said, 'Staff Sergeant. . . . ' and I said, 'What have you done? Have you signed any papers yet?' and he said, 'Yes.' I asked him if it was anything he could take back and he said, 'No.' He wouldn't have done it anyway."

That was the day Jeff enlisted in the Army. Mark said that Jeff had been looking forward to that day since Sept. 11, 2001, when Jeff decided he was going to do everything he could to help prevent another attack on the United States. He went to Iraq about a year ago as an infantryman, part of the famed 1st Armored Division.

Lisa said her son told her he planned to stay in the Army for about 20 years "and then he'd still be young enough to open his own business." A talented artist, Jeff had his eye on starting up his own computer games graphics company.

But while serving in the Army, Jeff made the most of his time, dedicating himself to his duties while maintaining his concern for others.

"He had a sergeant who lost his leg and he said, 'Momma, he'll never run with his kids again,' " Lisa said. "I said, 'But at least he'll be able to see them graduate,' and he said, 'Yeah, but he'll never get to run with his kids again.' That's just how he was, always thinking of other people."

Although Jeff knew the pain that war can bring — Mark and Lisa say his best friend, Brett Tribble, of Lake Jackson, Texas, was killed in action just four days before his own death — he still enjoyed joking with fellow servicemen and sharing his Big Red soda, a prized possession, with other Texans longing for a taste of home.

He also stayed true to those he loved back in Texas, making a surprise visit home in January for Lisa's birthday. The secret visit was leaked before his arrival, Mark said, but it didn't diminish its impact.

It was during that visit that Jeff's playful spirit emerged again. Mark said that he and Jeff were playing a round of golf at James Connally Municipal Golf Course "and we were playing so bad, he just stripped down to his shorts and jumped in the water and started grabbing golf balls. . . . When we were done, he said, 'I've never had more fun playing golf.' "

Jeff Shaffer also grasped the realities of war. Lisa said that in one of the last e-mails she received from her son, he wrote: "Momma, don't be upset if anything happens to me because it'll be God's will."

But even that grim mental preparedness didn't stop Jeff from putting his family's well-being first.

"He had it in his papers that if anything were to happen to him, to make sure that his dad was there and, 'Do not tell my momma by herself.' He was looking out for his momma," Lisa said.

The grief-stricken parents struggled to find words to sum up their son's legacy.

"By his example, he showed everybody that if you're going to really live life, at least have fun, regardless of your situation," Lisa said.

"And then take care of business," Mark added.

They said that Jeff, who leaves behind two younger brothers, ages 14 and 6, and a 2-year-old daughter in Arkansas, was pained by protesters at home, including peace activist Cindy Sheehan and her questioning of what "noble cause" U.S. military personnel are fighting for in Iraq.

Mark said Jeff told him "when people protest a war, they're disgracing the memory of those who have fallen for them."

Jeff's parents say they're convinced that their son died for a noble cause.

"As bad as it hurts and as much pain as we're going through and even knowing that I'll never hold my baby again, he didn't die in vain," Lisa said tearfully.