Marilyn Jean Shaffer

MARILYN JEAN SHAFFER

Cedar Rapids

Marilyn Jean Shaffer, 69,

of Cedar Rapids, died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, in her home after fighting a courageous battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church, where a visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m. The Rev. Craig Brown will officiate. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Inurnment: private.

Survivors include her husband, Norm; her children, Daniel (Teresa) Wilkes of Hiawatha, Iowa, Jeni (Greg) Hartford of Walford, Iowa, and Amanda Shaffer and fiancee Sonye Tamunoigoni of Dallas, Texas; her brother, Wayne (Syloney) Ruen of Princeton, Ill.; and her grandchildren, Jacob and Jordan Shaffer, Ellie, Katie, Henry and Auggie Wilkes, Austen Tamunoigoni, Ashley Brady and Allie LeGrand. Also surviving are a niece, Jessica Ruen of Indiana; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her son, John Shaffer.

Marilyn was born May 19, 1948, in Waukon, Iowa, the daughter of Vernon and Lila (Dahlen) Ruen. She married Norm Shaffer on April 24, 1982, at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Marilyn was an executive secretary for Rockwell Collins and a member of First Lutheran Church. She attended Wartburg and Kirkwood Community College. She served on the board of Collins Employee United Fund, HACAP and Planned Parenthood. She volunteered at Willis Dady Center, Miracles in Motion and Rockwell Collins Child Center. She enjoyed horses, flowers, shopping and talking with Nancy on the porch. She also loved going to Sutliff for their amazing hot beef sandwiches.

She will be greatly missed by her family and the many lives she touched.

Please leave a message for the family on our web page, www.cedarmemorial.com, under obituaries.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or Mercy Hospice in memory of Marilyn.