1944 - 2005

Compiled by Ærchie

I only ever knew Dean through the APFPY newsgroup. I found him to be wryly humourous and wonderfully compassionate with a deep faith in his God.

My favourite comment from him was posted just after Christmas in 2002. when he wrote, "It is wonderful to hold a one year old in your arms and have him love on you."

The best way for me to remember Dean is through some of his postings to APFPY. Here are some memories of our friend, "The E-Mail Traveler, Dean"

Posted by Dean Shafer in May, 1997

I'm an easy going, laid back, friendly person, in love with life. I moved to North Carolina three and half years ago and live in Cary, a suburb of Raleigh. I was born and raised in eastern Ohio. I've, also, lived in West Virginia, Michigan and now North Carolina. I love it here and, as far as I'm concerned, this is the end of my journey.

I'm disabled. I had polio when I was 13 years old.

My friends say I'm kind, gentle, friendly, and out going. I like to laugh. I love a good joke and I'm quite the story teller myself. I've been told I'm good looking. I have salt 'n' pepper hair, brown eyes, and I'm 5'10", 250 pounds.

I'm an eclectic person. I have diversified interests. I like to travel and over the years I've visited 18 states. I've seen both oceans, and been to the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.

I collect coffee mugs from the places I visit and the sights I see. I have a passion for gormet coffee. I have pledged my life to rid the world of chocolate, singlehandedly.

The other big thing in my life is music. I have been singing since my teen years. At the age of 43, I went back to school and studied music, at the college level, for two years. The last twenty years I've been singing Southern Gospel. My music taste is also eclectic, I like most forms of music. My hero is Lucianio Pavorotti. The power tenors really turn my crank, although I'm a bass-baritone.

I work part-time in a video retail store in our local mall. I have a collection of about six hundred titles. I also have a huge collection of music tapes and cd's.

Some of my other interests are NASCAR Winston Cup racing, photography, cooking and anything else that strikes my fancy. I'm always ready to try something new.

In 1999 Dean posted the following story.

I had a gospel music ministry for many years. Much of my ministry was in nursing homes. There was one nursing home that I appeared at, weekly.

I would go every Sunday and do an hour's concert. After the program I would make it a point to go around the room. greet and physically touch each resident and thank them for coming. There was one lady, who was quite old. She had a stroke and it left her without speech. She would just sit in her wheelchair and look straight ahead. I would touch her hand and thank her for coming. She never responded.

This one Sunday, I touched her hand and thanked her for coming and then for some unexplained reason, I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. She looked up and smiled.

The nurse saw her response and not what I had done. She asked, "What did you do?"

I told her I had kissed her. She said the lady had been there many years. That was the first time that she had seen any response from her. A kiss, it is such a small thing, but means so much.

We should never miss an opportunity to someone a kiss or a hug. We never know when will not get another chance.

On May 23 2002, Dean wrote:-

The Stanley Cup came to town today for a visit at our local mall. A huge crowd turned out to see it and get a picture taken with it. The event was sponsored by Sears, one of the NHL sponsors. They had the trophy up on a stage and those who wanted a picture had to climb the stairs to the stage and stand beside the trophy.

There was no way I could get onto the stage because of the steps. I would have to settle for a look, being in a wheelchair. I rolled up to the edge of the stage and a gentleman asked me if I could back up for just a minute, as I was in the path of travel, planned by one of our local TV reporters, doing a live sound bite for the five o'clock news. I was happy to comply, being a former TV reporter myself.

I recognized the man as the keeper of the trophy. I had seen him on TV and he was wearing white gloves. He ask me if I would like to have my picture taken with the trophy. I told him I would love too, but I didn't have any money. I was under the impression that a five dollar charity donation was required. He said no that was not so, although we could make a donation if we would like and it would go to the Cancer Society.

I told him if it was free I would love to have my picture taken. He said to hang on and he would go get it. After a few minutes, he went up on the stage, pick it up and brought it down. I figured he would stand beside me and hold it. I was absolutely blown away when he asked me if I would like to hold it and he handed it to me.

I steadied it on my left thigh and cradled my left hand behind it, up high. This thing is huge. It towered over my head by a least a foot. I would guess it weighs about fifty pounds and it is beautiful.

I cannot believe "I GOT TO HOLD THE STANLEY CUP!!!," while others only got to stand by it. Sometimes, being in a wheelchair does have a perk.

On April 26, 1999, Dean posted;

I can not imagine a funeral without music. Most of the funerals that I have attended have been celebrations of life, not mourning.

I have been singing gospel music for 25 years now. The greatest honor I have been given is to be invited to sing at someone's funeral. To know that my music has touched their life in a way that they want me to sing for their friends and families, is a very humbling experience. It's a powerful moving experience to stand before the casket and sing, "My God How Great Thou Art."

I want music at my funeral. I want lots of music and celebration. My body may be dead, but I'm alive and in a better place.

Celebrate for me. I want happy music, hand clapping, tambourine shaking music. Dance before the Lord like David. David danced before the Lord, "with all his might."

Tributes posted on APFPY included:

And in heaven there are the sweetest songs. - Zorg (John)

I'm very sorry to hear this but at least his suffering is over. - Angela.

Very sad news - John J.

No more suffering for Dean. - Annette

Please pass on my sympathy to Sylvia. Now he can begin ridding heaven of chocolate singlehandedly. RIP, Dean. - Ærchie (John)

I hope he's at peace now ... sympathy to Sylvia and his friends. - Buff

Godspeed, Dean. - Jeanie

My sympathy for Sylvia. Dean suffered for a long time, but now he's free to travel without burdens. - Eva