Don Shaffner DVM

In honor of my Father's birthday on 18 November 1919.

The majority of his life was spent as a veterinarian.  Although ranching was his 1st love, 

he enjoyed his work as a veterinarian.  

He was good at what he did, he mentored many and served his profession in many organizations.

Even today when faced with a problem or issue, I think WWDD!

Returning from World War II and the benefit of the G. I. Bill, Don knew that Veterinary School was something he could do.  Growing up on the ranch gave him knowledge of working with animals and while ranching was in his blood; he knew it wasn't possible to ranch with his brother and his father.  The ranch just wasn't large enough.  He was discharged from the Army on the 23rd of June 1945.  I am not sure when he applied for Veterinary College but his letter of acceptance was written on August 30th.   I wonder when he physically received the letter.  It didn't give him much time to report to college by the 17th of September!

He was accepted to Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine.  

One of courses he had to take was anatomy.  

 They worked on embalming and on embalmed horses

 

Because of Don's knowledge of animals, he told stories of how he would teach the class on how to 

lay a horse or a cow down on the ground with a ropes.   

After 4 years, Don graduated in May of 1945

Attending Don's graduation was (L to R)

Estella Shaffner, Dean Shaffner, Della Shaffner (his mother), Don (in graduation gown), Calla Lloyd (Mom's mother), George Shaffner and John Shaffner (his father)

and in front, Donnee Shaffner

(Don & Helen were married in July of 1946)

In order to practice in Montana, he had to pass the exam. 

His license number was 177.

I was fortunate enough to accompany Dad to his 50th Veterinary College Class reunion in 1999.  

Each veterinarian  told of their career and accomplishments.  Each had amazing stories and many told how much receiving an education with the G. I. Bill meant to them.

Someday I will try and write his story, but without his twinkling blue eyes telling the story, not sure I can do it justice! Let's just say, it was a tad different than those who were bragging!

  

Don and Helen returned to Dillon in 1949 where he went to work at the Dillon Veterinary Hospital.   He was able to purchase the hospital in 1961 and sold it in 1979.  He continued to 

maintain his veterinary license for several years because obtaining his education and license was 

very important to him.

 My sister & I spent many hours working along side Dad, both in corrals and the Veterinary Hospital.  As I write the stories, there are tons of memories; but I can still smell the inside of the clinic;  the odor of medicines, vaccines, Nolvasan, Clorox and animals!

Tattoo pliers for Brucellosis ID

1945-1975

The pliers were even welded to keep on working!

They saw lots of cow ears and green paint!

Don Shaffner

18 November 1919-25 October 2009

He was born 98 years ago today

1866 January 19 John Lloyd writing to his brothers & sisters

The original letters have been donated to the Fort Walla Walla Museum in Walla Walla, Washington.

John Lloyd, who is my3rd great grandfather wrote this letter 151 years ago to his brother, Robert,  in Grainger County, Tennessee.  John talks about his family, who had died, the ages of children and who might get married.  He mentions his father's estate, who died in 1857; 9 years earlier, was telling his brother what to do with his share of the inheritance.  

I transcribed exactly how he spelled the words.

Enjoy reading and imagine living in that era.

Benton County State of Oregon  January 19 1866

Dear Brother and Sisters and to all whom this may consern

I once more sit down to write to you owing to our national troubles and there being no mail facilities I have not wrote for 4 or 5 years past  I received no answers from 2 or 3 of the last letters that I wrote to you

I am enjoying good health though the tender mercies of indulgent god and I sincerely hope this letter may find you and the family connection enjoying the like blessing---it is reasonable to suppose that some of the connection has gone to their long homes since I have heard from you---my Dear Brother I have had but one letter from you since the death of our Mother   I will now I will state something about my family conserns   my second wife died last fall  I raised five Daughters they are all dead—I have 4 sons living 3 of them is married and has settled in Washington Territory near 400 miles from me---William the youngest son and myself lives to gather.  He is not married but I expect he will be in less than a month—the boys is all making a comfortable living—William the youngest child will be 25 years old the 21^st of February next---my health is good—I am able to work for my living—I am in my 70^th year—I have a plenty in my hands to live without work—all of my Daughters was professors of religion—I have 2 sons that is not----

Brother Robert as to Fathers estate—I am at a loss what to say—as your section of the country as been torn to pieces with internal wars---I think it is quite likely property of the country is destroyed—if there should be any thing coming to me—I would like to have things so arranged that my oldest Daughters children who live in Platte County Missouri could get it—if this letter comes to hand—I want you to answer it and write to me—what the state of affairs is in relation to Fathers estate is------so I will change the subject to a more pleasing theme—There has been quite a revival of religion this fall in some localities laterly I have seen the most visable displays of divine power that I ever witnezzed in my life.  I think I was made to exclaim and say with poet---sovreighn grace alone has power to subdue a heart of stone—it and the moment grace is felt-Then the hardest heard will melt---Politiks has been a bone of contention and the bane of religion among us—the churches is held to gather politicaly and not religiously—it is lamentably true that politiks appears to be the bond of union in the churches instead of the internal love of god shed abroad in the hearts of the members—I will state prices    wheat  $1  oats 75 cents per bushel   pork $10  per hundred beef cattle on foot  $5.50 per hundred   good horses from $150 to 200 a piece   our currency is gold   no property sold in this country for greenbacks   yet there has been a great many debts paid off in greenbacks—I had to take over $1400 where I had loaned gold—the only thing the Republicans and Democrats agree in is in abusing the greenbacks.  The people in Oregon has great reason to be thankful we have no fighting no roling in this country in consequence of the war-----

If Robert is dead or moved away I hope some the family connection will be so good as to answer this letter—I shall no more hopeing to meet you in heaven above where all is love on andams peacefull shore where parting will be no more—

                        John Lloyd

N. B.  this letter is intended for all of the family connection

These are the original letters which have been digitized.

Lida Lorene Shaffner Gibbons

Lida Lorene Shaffner

Lida (Lyda) was the older sister of my grandfather, John Fanoit Shaffner.  

Lida was born 16 February 1885 to John Martin Shaffner and his wife, Elizabeth Deborah Fletcher in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania.

Vida's brother's & sister were Willard Fletcher Shaffner (1881-1973), Ettie Viola Shaffner Mayer (1883-1915), John Fanoit Shaffner (1887-1991), Bert Lawrence Shaffner (1889-1957), and Walter Ruskin Shaffner (1899-1916).

Lyda married Harold Clinton Gibbons on 23 September 1904 in Lindlay, Steuben, New York.
I have been unable to find a marriage license.

From "The Patriot", Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Thursday, 29 September 1904

page not given, column 6

Lida and Harold had 2 children:  Earl C, born 23 April 1905 and Alida Alice born 27 June 1907

Lida died on 7 March 1908.

She was 23 years old.

Lida's death certificate

The cause of death was Uremia with contributory issues of Pyelitis & chronic valvular-affections of Heart; both mitral & aortic regurgitation since June 1907.

My grandfather's note states that she died in Harrisburg while visiting her husband's family.  He also stated that she had rheumatic rheumatism was a child.

From "The Patriot", Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 10 March 1908

Mrs. Lydia Shaffner Gibbons, wife of H. B. Gibbons, died Saturday morning after a lingering illness. She is survived by a husband and two children.  The funeral was held from the home of W. B. Gibbons, 613 Emerald Street, yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Interment was private.

Lida is buried at the East Harrisburg Cemetery.

The undertaker was E. H. Fracklen, 1312 Derry Street, Harrisburg

Lida Lorene Shaffner

Lida Lorene Shaffner

Grandpa Shaffner, her brother, spelled her name two different ways

I think this is an older Lida than the other pictures

Earl Gibbons 1907

Picture was labeled by Grandpa Shaffner, Lida's brother.

I assume he identified the picture correctly.

Alice & Earl Gibbons, children of Harold and Lida

Harold was born in April of 1905 and Alice was born in June of 1907

Lida died in March of 1908

Locating the children, I would guess this picture was after 1908

Harold, Alice and Earl Gibbons

Looking at the size of the children, I would assume this picture could have been taken by Vida's death in 1908

Lida, Ettie and Williard Shaffner

About 1890 per Grandpa Shaffner

Lida was born in 1885, Ettie was born in 1883 and Willard was born in 1881

Lida would be 5, Ettie would be 7 and Willard would be 9 years old

Photo take by C. W. Steinmetz, Harrisburg, Pa

The pictures came from a scrapbook that Donnee Shaffner Stibal assembled with Grandpa Shaffner's help.  Grandpa was very good about labeling pictures.

Grandpa Shaffner is John Shaffner