Dorothy Marie Shaff

Dorothy Marie Shaff, 82 of St. Joseph Michigan passed away unexpectedly at her home on Friday January 20, 2012. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 2:00 P.M. Friday, January 27, 2012 at Starks & Menchinger Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, St Joseph Michigan with Pastor Franz Brandenburg officiating. Burial will follow at North Shore Memorial Gardens. Friends may visit from 1:00 P.M. until 2:00 P.M. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or donor’s choice. Those wishing to share a memory of Dorothy may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mrs. Shaff was born on October 18, 1929 in New Troy, Michigan to Edward & Dreyda (Pufall) Backus. On December 20, 1946 she married Ernest Shaff in Niles Michigan. Dorothy was a homemaker, wife and mother who devoted her life to raising her sons and caring for her family. She also worked for Oliver Farm Equipment in South Bend, IN. She was an avid reader and enjoyed her trips to the casinos. She is survived by her husband Ernest and son Roger of St. Joseph Michigan. Also surviving are a sister, Lucille Daron, Niles, MI brothers Ronald Backus, Branch, MI, and Leo Backus, Niles, MI; grandchildren, Talia (Mathew) Pozorski, Christopher (Krist) Shaff and Heather Shaff, great grandchildren Jacob, Ryan, Sarah, and Sasha all of Arvada, Co. Additional survivors include sisters-in-law Lois Backus, Three Oaks MI., Karen Backus of New Troy, MI., and Cora Arend of St. Joseph, as well as a host of nieces and nephews. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Douglas (4/11/2008) and great granddaughter Mikayla Pozorski (10/1/2004), three brothers, Melvin, Dale, and Marvin Backus and sister Helen Young.