Elaine Liner Shaffer

November 8, 1930 - July 11, 2019

Elaine Liner Shaffer, age 88, of Sterling, VA, passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2019, at INOVA Loudoun Hospital Center in Leesburg, VA. Born in Louisiana in 1930, she was the daughter of the late Oliver E. and Ilar (Murry) Liner. Elaine attended the Louisiana School for the Deaf and graduated from Gallaudet University with the Class of ’52. She retired from Melpar/Raytheon after 25 years. After retirement she began working as part of the team which created the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons. Through the NVRC she made countless friends and advocated for numerous members of the Deaf Community, and was honored with a lifetime achievement award for her contributions. Her family and friends all know her for her quick sense of humor, her love for Louisiana, and her great enjoyment of camping and other activities with Deaf groups. Elaine was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Kenneth V. Shaffer, in 2016. She is survived by her daughter Karen Fletcher (husband Donald) of Lovettsville, VA and a son Lance Shaffer of Sterling, VA, grandchildren Jenny Seaton (Jesse), Carrie Sowdon (Carl), and Brian Fletcher; great-grandsons Tanner Seaton and Ryan Sowdon, and baby great-granddaughter, Evelyn “Evie” Sowdon, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by sister Faye Melancon (Lolan) of Louisiana, and was predeceased by sister Jo Corrick and brother in law George Corrick of Florida. Visitation will be held on Friday, July 19, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00PM at Loudoun Funeral Chapel 158 Catoctin Circle SE Leesburg, VA 20175. A private family burial will be at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Cemetery, Taylorstown, VA. A memorial service will be held at a later date to be determined. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to https://nvrc.org/pay-online-for-donations/