Barbara Kay Shaffer

Barbara Kay (Poorman) Shaffer, 73, of New Philadelphia, died Friday, April 18, 2014 in Union Hospital at Dover following a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s.

A daughter of the late Ralph and Opal (Forker) Poorman, Barb was born July 7, 1940 at Newcomerstown, Ohio.

Barb graduated from Newcomerstown High School in 1958 where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She then graduated from Bethesda Hospital Nursing School at Zanesville in 1967 and Anesthesia Schooling at Reading, Pennsylvania in 1972. Following her graduation in 1972, Barb went to work at Union Hospital as a Nurse Anesthetist and retired in 2008.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church as well as the Order of Eastern Star. Barb was also a member of the Tuscarawas Philharmonic, the Little Theatre and the Tuscarawas County Humane Society.

Barb enjoyed gardening and traveling, especially her yearly visits to the Yankee Peddler. She also enjoyed reading and listening to a variety of music. Over the years Barb fostered many lost animals and was especially fond of her late Doberman Pinscher, Dutchess.

She is survived by her daughter, Julia Morrison of Cape Coral, Florida; granddaughters, Amy (Brett) Swinderman of New Philadelphia whom Barb raised for many years, Jenny Morrison and Molly (Jeff) Pongratz both of Cape Coral, Florida; two great grandchildren, Gavin Edward Nugent and Kennedy Louise Nugent; a lifelong friend, Diane Johnson of Dover and numerous family pets.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents and step mother, Mary Virginia Poorman.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 24, 2014 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. A service celebrating Barb’s life will be held on Friday, April 25, 2014 at 2 p.m. in the funeral home. A luncheon will be held in the Geib Family Center at New Philadelphia following the service.

Contributions may be made in Barb’s memory to the Tuscarawas County Humane Society, 6895 Dover Zoar Road NE, Dover, OH 44622 or the Tuscarawas Philharmonic, 717 East High Avenue, New Philadelphia, OH 44663.