HARRISBURG – Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll saluted former Gov. Ray Shafer’s lifetime of achievement upon his death Tuesday.
“A man with a passion for public service and Pennsylvania,” Knoll said. “At a time when America needed example-setters, he was at his best. Both before and after his terms as lieutenant governor and governor, he helped to define the role of unselfish citizen.”
Knoll cited Shafer for his leadership in modernizing Pennsylvania’s governmental structure; for his devotion to education and the environment; and for his lifelong commitment to “being an ambassador for Pennsylvania.”
“Throughout all his years, the only times he was away from his beloved Pennsylvania were during his heroic World War II service in the South Pacific, and to carry out presidentially assigned duties in the 1970’s.
“Pennsylvania is better in this century,” she said, “because of Ray Shafer’s public service in the last one. His pioneering citizenship deserves not only to be remembered, but to be imitated.”
Visitors will be received at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home Inc., Meadville from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Saturday.
A funeral will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Ford Chapel, Allegheny College. Visitors who are not family members or close personal friends or associates will be asked to view the service from a live TV broadcast in the college’s campus center.
Interment will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Union Township, Crawford County, with military honors provided by the Pennsylvania State Police Honor Guard.
Memorials may be made to the Raymond Philip Shafer Foundation, c/o Crawford Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 908, Meadville, PA 16335.