Obituary of Ilse Shafer

Shafer, Ilse M. (nee Huttner), a former longtime resident of Wyckoff and Ridgewood, NJ passed away peacefully on September 17th in Eugene, Oregon. She was the beloved wife of the late Harold T. Shafer. Loving mother of Brian, Tom, and Warren (Barbara). Fond grandmother to Wes, Hallie (Victor) Rivera, Jed (Mary), Josh, Jake, Kristen, and Eric. Great grandmother to Jacoby, Julius, and Jalen Shafer. She was preceded in death by granddaughter Julia. Ilse was born January 3, 1918 in New York City to Willy C. and Berta M. Huttner. After graduating from Hunter College in NYC she traveled west to California for her Masters degree at UCLA. It was there that she met Harold and they were married on February 15, 1941. She devoted her days to raising their three sons, and within a few years of the family moving to the east coast in the mid 1950s, began her career at Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes, NJ teaching German and English. Ilse retired from Ramapo in 1978 after16 years of service, but when Harold's health began to decline in the late 1980s, she soon went back to work, this time serving the community through many years of employment in the office of State Senator Henry McNamara. Prior to moving to Eugene in mid 2005, Ilse was an active member at the Wyckoff Reformed Church. Ilse enjoyed travel, cooking, playing the piano, and taking long walks in local neighborhoods and state parks in her time outside the classroom. However, her days teaching at Ramapo High School always remained among her most cherished legacy. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends, neighbors, and her students. In lieu of flowers a contribution to the Alzheimer's Association, 400 Morris Ave. Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834 may be made in memory of Ilse. The family will receive friends on Monday, September 23, 2013 from 9 -11:30 am at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ 07481. A Funeral Service will follow at 11:30 AM. Interment will be at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, NJ.