Robert Leroy Shafer, 84, of Raleigh, North Carolina passed away on Friday, March 13, 2026, surrounded by family and under the compassionate, capable care of the 2200 Progressive Care Unit staff at Duke Raleigh Hospital.

Robert was born June 21, 1941, in Berkeley, California, to the late James Albert Shafer and Gladys Emily Rogers Shafer. He was part of the first graduating class of Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, California in 1959. While working and raising a family, he also earned an Associates in Business Management from Wake Technical College. He was hardworking and dedicated to everything he set out to do.

Robert proudly served in the US Navy for just over 20 years, ranking as an E7 Chief and Air Traffic Control Specialist. It was during his military career that he met his wife and love of his life, Diane, while serving aboard the USS John F Kennedy in Norfolk. They were married in North Providence, Rhode Island and moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia where they began their married life. They loved to dance together, work in the yard, and travel often. They always held hands when walking, like newlyweds. They were inseparable.

After his Navy career, he worked for the US Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration and later Lockheed Martin as a Flight Service Specialist / Air Traffic Controller in Birmingham, Alabama and Raleigh, North Carolina, providing flight planning and weather information to pilots. He also worked for Proctor and Gamble briefly after retirement.

Robert deeply loved his family and was very proud of his four children. He had a passion for researching genealogy, finding new family and creating his family tree - a gift he leaves to future generations. He was a natural at math, and loved card games like Cribbage and Pinochle, playing in tournaments throughout the United States and winning or placing in several of them. Robert enjoyed traveling to the beach and mountains, playing golf, vacationing on cruises, and watching sports as often as he could. He could be counted on to know the stats of all his favorite players and games. Diane and Bob traveled to Europe, including Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, and around the US and made lifelong friends everywhere they went. His smile, sense of humor and loyal commitment to the people in his life made him one-of-a-kind.

In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by siblings Albert Shafer, Lyle Eugene Shafer, Mary Shafer Gondeza, Claudia Darlene Shafer, and Lois Shafer Cole; grandson by marriage Bradley Godwin and great-granddaughter Paikea Platter.

Robert is survived by his wife of 56 years, Diane Joyce Shafer; and children: Robert and Shawna Shafer of Heppner Oregon, Kenneth Shafer and James Lindquist of Cathedral City California, Deborah and Michael Connell of Montpelier Virginia, Jana Shafer and Alex Hartman of Todd/Boone North Carolina along with siblings Michael and Linda Shafer, Ethel (Patty) Shafer Putman, and Catherine Shafer. He was a loving grandfather to Winona Shafer Godwin, Mikaela Shafer, Joshua Shafer, Hannah Garrett, Caroline and Matteo Stocco, Sarah Connell and JP Harnden, Andrew Connell, John Connell and Mary Clare Connell, Charlie, Annabelle and Miles Hartman and great-grandfather to Matthew, Abram, Malia, Ramona, Hunter, Scout and Benedict. He will be remembered by many nieces, nephews and other extended family, many of whom he connected with through his passion for genealogy and hosting family reunions with his son Robert.

Robert was a longtime member of St. Raphael Catholic Church and then Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral and was especially fond of the beautiful music of the Spiritual Choir over the many years he attended Mass at Cathedral. Shortly before his death, he shared that he and Diane had made a decision to follow our Lord and he felt they had done that well. He was particularly drawn to images of Christ from the poem Footprints, remembering his father carrying that prayer card in his pocket.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, March 24th, 2026 at 10:00am at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, 715 Nazareth St, Raleigh, NC 27606. Burial will follow in the Veteran’s Section of Historic Oakwood Cemetery, 701 Oakwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27601.

In lieu of flowers, the family expresses that memorial contributions can be made in his honor to one of the following:

• Duke Raleigh Hospital Chaplain Services: Donate - Duke Health (Click “Search for an area” and type: DRAH Chaplain Services Endowment Fund)

• Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral- Spiritual Choir: Other Donations (Please type Donation to Spiritual Choir in the NOTE field)

• USO at Raleigh Durham International Airport: Checks can be mailed to USO, PO Box 90186, Raleigh, NC 27675, or donations can be made online at Donate • USO of North Carolina.