Tressa Marie “Tess” Shaffer

Tressa Marie “Tess” Shaffer of Butler went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who prayed daily for her family.

Tess was born in Patti, Sicily, to the late Orris Gorgone and Josephine (Donzelli) Gorgone and immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of five. She had a deep and abiding love for this country.

Tess was a graduate of Windber High School, Windber, Pa., and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

She worked as a teacher at Duff Business School, Pittsburgh, then at Butler Business College.

Tess was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Junior Women's Club, the Butler Intermediate League, the Butler Country Club golf and bowling leagues, Butler Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer and was a mentor with the Mothers of Pre-Schoolers program.

She enjoyed walking, health foods, cooking, music and was a sports enthusiast. Tess enjoyed traveling and traveled extensively to visit family members in Charleston, S.C., San Francisco, Calif., Italy and Australia.

Tess is survived by two sons, Jay (Lynn) Shaffer and Ned Shaffer, both of Butler; three daughters, Kim (Bob) Kelly of Butler, Ann (Mike) Stutz of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and Amy (Eric) Glass of Kentfield, Calif.; 13 grandchildren, Bradley Shaffer, Lindsey (Brad) Spang, Ryan (Lindsay) Kelly, Jordan Kelly, Tyler Kelly, Keenan Kelly, Kyle Shaffer, Maura Shaffer, Harley (Jeff) Hall, Heston Stutz, Kort Stutz, Everett Glass and Harper Glass; and six great-grandsons, Penn Stutz-Roberts, Atlas Stutz-Walsh, Indio Hall, Navy Hall, Mason Kelly and Jackson Kelly.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, M.L. “Cy” Shaffer, who she married March 20, 1948, and who passed away Jan. 2, 1998. He owned and operated the Horn of Plenty buffet restaurants.

She was also preceded in death by her brother, Peter Gorgone.

SHAFFER — Friends of Tressa Marie “Tess” Shaffer, who died Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, 124 E. North St., Butler.Funeral services will be private for family only with the Rev. Eric Park of First United Methodist Church officiating. Private burial will take place at North Side Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to First United Methodist Church, Building Fund, 200 E. North St., Butler, PA 16001 or Butler Health System Auxiliary, C/O BHS Foundation, 127 Oneida Valley Road, Butler, PA 16001.Online condolences can be given at www.thompson-miller.com.