Charles A.

Shaffer

Charles Shaffer

1938-2026

Charles Shaffer, 88, passed away peacefully on November 4, 2026, at The McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, VT, with his daughter Sue by his side.

Of all his many achievements, Charles was proudest of his 63-year relationship with Barbara, who preceded him in death in 2023. Together they shared a love for the arts, reading, travel, and being together. High school sweethearts, they graduated from Wyoming Seminary in 1956.

Charles went on to attend the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a degree in economics, followed by a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He began his legal career as a sole practitioner, sharing office space with his uncle, Louis Shaffer, at the firm of Shaffer, Thalenfeld, and Jacobs. He served as a law clerk for the late Judge Robert J. Hourigan, and worked as the First Clerk of the Orphans' Court and Deputy of Wills. He also shared his knowledge by teaching Business Law at Wilkes University and poured his energy into organizing the public defender’s office in Luzerne County, becoming one of its first attorneys. In 1968, Charles and five close friends co-founded the law firm of Flanagan, Doran, Biscontini, and Shaffer. Later in 1986, he became a partner in Mahler, Shaffer and Pugliese, and in 2008, the firm evolved into Pugliese, Finnegan, Shaffer, and Ferentino. He often expressed his good fortune in creating successful law practices with good friends and good people.

A dedicated attorney and community leader, Charles lived his values through board service across many organizations which included the Wilkes-Barre Jewish Community Center, Temple B’nai B’rith and B’nai B’rith Lodge, the Jewish Federation of Greater Wilkes-Barre, the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association, United Rehabilitation Services, University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club and Secondary School Committee, among others.

Charles was also committed to the arts, offering his leadership as a board member of both the Fine Arts Fiesta and the Sordoni Art Gallery at Wilkes University. He loved to travel, frequently visiting art museums, galleries, and artist talks. A talented photographer himself, he was dedicated to the craft — taking courses and evolving with the times, maintaining a keen eye for composition and creativity.

Charles enjoyed the simpler pleasures of life. He could often be found in his den, listening to jazz music, sitting by a warm fire with a good glass of scotch, and reading a science fiction novel. A true style icon, Charles sported Oxford cloth shirts, argyle socks, Shetland sweaters, and when the occasion called, his straw boater hat. He reliably had his Weejuns resoled and held onto his original college wool winter robe. An avid alpine skier, his favorite toast, shared often with friends and family, was “To blue skies and packed powder." He loved skiing in the Poconos and out West with friends and family, and taught his kids to ski at an early age, later teaching them how to tune their skis in his home tuning basement.

Charles is survived by his children Jonathan Shaffer and his wife Robin Shaffer of Northern Virginia and their son Daniel of Washington, DC, daughter Sue Shaffer, her wife Suzanne Yaramishyn, and their daughter Zeal of South Burlington VT, his siblings-in-law Lynn Gonchar of Wilkes-Barre, PA, Ronne Kurlancheek and Joel Zitofsky, of Wilkes-Barre, PA, Paul Kurlancheek of Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Mary Lou Spina, of Tunkhannock, PA.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross or Temple Israel of Wilkes-Barre, PA.