Joyce Annese (Copeland) Shaffer

Joyce Annese (Copeland) Shaffer, age 80, of Battle Creek, MI died peacefully Sunday morning, November 7, 2021 at The Legacy at The Oaks at NorthPointe Woods following a lengthy battle with dementia.

Joyce, the daughter of James R. and I. Verdon (Stout) Copeland, was born on July 7, 1941 in Livingston, Tennessee. Her family later moved to Calhoun County, MI. Joyce was a 1959 graduate of Battle Creek Central High School. Joyce was a stay-at-home mother, which she thoroughly embraced and was later employed by Battle Creek Memorial Park Cemetery. She was a longtime member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Battle Creek.

In her leisure time, Joyce enjoyed baking, sewing, gardening, canning, being a mother and grandmother, and being surrounded by her family. Joyce was always known as the "neighborhood" mom, and kids for miles knew that they could stop in for cookies or other wonderful treats that she made. She was very artistic and spent many years helping in the classrooms of her sons. After she and her husband retired, they moved to the country and acquired a small herd of Pedmontese cattle. Joyce's greatest joy was spending time with her five grandchildren.

On March 12, 1960, in Battle Creek, Joyce was united in marriage to Clark Milford Shaffer Jr. Surviving are her sisters, Marva (Copeland) Chambers, Burnease (Copeland) Hargis, both of Lansing; brothers, Tom (Ellen) Copeland of Kalamazoo, RV (Janie) Copeland of Ohio; sons, Clark M. (Heather) Shaffer III of Richland, James (Kimber) Shaffer of Galesburg, Brent (Catherine) Shaffer of Ann Arbor; five grandchildren, Remington Shaffer, Dalton (Taylor) Shaffer, Glen Shaffer, Nora Shaffer, Grace Shaffer and one great-granddaughter, Oaklynn Shaffer. Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Clark Milford Shaffer Jr.; her parents, James R. and I. Verdon (Stout) Copeland; two sisters, Louise (Copeland) Long of Battle Creek, Betty (Copeland) Ogletree of Tennessee; brothers, Bob Copeland of Battle Creek and Jim Copeland of Fairborn, Ohio.

At the request of the family, friends will be received on Sunday, November 14, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care in Battle Creek for visitation. The funeral service to celebrate Joyce's life will be held at the funeral home on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Memorial contributions in Joyce's honor may be made to the Dementia Society of America. Personal messages and memories may be shared at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.