Patrick Shafer

Patrick E. Shafer, 35 of Myersville, MD passed away Friday, February 19, 2016. He was the beloved husband of Amanda Worrell Shafer for almost 10 years and loving father to Liam Patrick and Finnian Lee Shafer.

Born March 17, 1980 in MD he was the beloved son of Carl Daniel Shafer, Jr. of Tampa, FL and Melanie Fay of Longs, SC and stepson to Thomas Haupt of Longs, SC and Carel Hurless of Tampa, FL. He was also the beloved son-in-law of Timothy and Zoë Worrell of Myersville, MD.

Patrick’s life was centered around God, his wife, and his boys. Every person who crossed Patrick’s path was embraced and touched by his amazing spirit and kind generous presence.

Patrick spent his childhood running around and playing with close friends in his neighborhood of Hillcrest in Frederick, MD, where he made many wonderful memories. Patrick graduated from Frederick High School in 1998, where he excelled at baseball and was active in the FFA.

His collegiate career included Frederick Community College and recently Hood College, where he was two classes away from earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology/Environmental Science. He had a passion for learning and loved spreading his knowledge to all who knew him.

Patrick’s career path was as unique and broad as his personality. In his early adult years, he worked at Bob’s Big Boy, La Paz Restaurant, Lily Ponds Water Gardens, Corp OHS, Firestone’s Restaurant, and also labored as a concrete finisher. Patrick’s true passion lay in serving others in the Fire Department. He began as a volunteer at United Fire Company shortly after graduating high school. He was ecstatic to be hired as a career Fire Fighter by Prince George’s Fire Department in 2003 and worked in several areas including College Park, Laurel, Riverdale, and Silver Hill, MD. Calverton Station 841 was his last duty assignment prior to retirement. He became a Paramedic during his time there, and was considered by many to be one of the best on the force. He medically retired due to an on-the-job injury in 2013. Patrick always loved coming into any situation and making a difference in someone’s life, and this was typified by his work in the Fire Department, something he remained passionate about and missed doing every day. He leaves behind a close knit brotherhood of firefighters whose lives he touched deeply. Patrick’s recent jobs were with Solar City and the Wine Kitchen in Frederick, MD where, as with all facets of his life, he excelled and changed people’s lives on a daily basis. Patrick’s aspirations for the future had been to finish his degree and find a job working connected to nature, where he could help people and the environment.

Patrick held a very specific calling to do God’s work on this earth. He loved to travel to Honduras on mission trips with Amanda where he built homes and friendships, blessing those who were less fortunate than himself. He was a Table Leader for the Waterboyz in Middletown, MD, where he showed men how to be authentic and serve God and their families through vulnerability and love. He traveled annually to Colorado to participate in a faith-filled personal journey at the Waterboyz National Bootcamp. He was an active member of Connections Church in Middletown, MD and was honored to have been invited to share his faith and message through preaching there.

Patrick loved nature and especially sharing it with his two boys, Liam and Finn. When he was at home, he could always be found chopping wood, gardening, or making his family’s house a home. He felt completely at peace and connected in the woods. He also enjoyed woodworking and tinkering with anything and everything. During all of these activities, Liam and Finn were by his side learning from their patient teacher.

All who encountered Patrick, even for the briefest moments, were changed by his authenticity, love, and generosity. He leaves behind a community woven together by the thread of his presence.

Anyone who knew Patrick understood that his wife, Amanda, and his boys, Liam and Finn were his everything. Aside from God, everything he did on this earth was for them. There has never been such a tender loving father and devoted husband.

In addition to his wife, children, parents, step-father, and parent in-laws, he is survived by his brother, Chris Shafer and his wife Stephanie Shafer, two nephews, Jacob and Tyler Shafer of High Point, NC., as well as his brother-in-law, Ryan Worrell of Myersville, MD. He is also survived by his great-uncle, James Brinsfield and his wife, Gloria, his dear auntie, Sue Rowe and her husband, Brian, his cousins, Jessica, Kelly, and Robin, his uncle, Reverend Thomas Shafer and his wife Karen, his aunt, Elizabeth Shafer Nelson and her husband, Craig, his cousins, Daniel, Amanda and her husband Freddy, Emily Joy and Abby Beth. Additionally, Patrick is survived by a large extended family and numerous friends who were like family to him.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2016 at 1:00 pm. Services will be held at Christ Reformed United Church of Christ, 12 S Church Street, Middletown, MD. A reception will follow at the Middletown Volunteer Fire Company Activity Center, 1 Fireman’s Lane, Middletown, MD.

There will be no graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made through a GoFundMe account to go towards a trust fund for Liam and Finn. You can access this fund at <https://www.gofundme.com/8kpx39fw>. Additionally the family is creating a Memory Book - please forward stories, pictures, videos, thoughts or other memories describing the type of man, husband, father, and friend he was to: pesmemories16@yahoo.com.