George Keith Shafer-Welty

George was Born March 29th, 1943, and was part of was known as "The Silent Generation". He was born on a Monday to his parents Mary Jane Bartley and Paul Shafer. Paul died on the beaches of Iwo Jima and is buried in the “Punch Bowl” in Hawaii. When Mary Jane met Bob Welty, they married and had two more children. Jerry, Jeanne and George all took Bob's name and became Shafer-Welty. 

George was 1 of 5 siblings. 3 boys, Jerry, George and Roy, 2 girls Jeanne, and Linda. The Welty's grew up in Long Beach, attending schools together, collectively known as “The Welty's” (Because if you started something with one, you got the attention of all 5) even through Poly High in Long Beach. 

After High-school, George enlisted in the Marine's and was sent to Vietnam for 18 months during the early 60's. He served as the machine gunner on the door of Med-Evac Helicopters in Vietnam. 

After the war, he came home and began work at Spillers Stables in Long Beach as a Farm Hand and Horse Wrangler. It was here he met Joyce Ann Mayes, who was also working at the stables at the time. When he proposed to Joyce and asked her to marry him, he was promptly fired from Spillers by the lady who owned it, (I know that's a personal detail, but it still makes me mad, and I wasn't even a gleam in my dad's eye at this point). 

George and Joyce were married in Las Vegas in September of 1968 and moved into their first residence in Cypress, California. Promptly the couple had their first child, Deborah Marie Welty (Named for Joyce's best friend) in April of 1969. George found work as a Gravedigger at Westminster Cemetery, then a long-distance truck driver. In 1972, George, Joyce and Debby moved to their permanent residence to Glen Avon in Riverside, California (Now Jurupa Valley). 

In 1974, George and Joyce welcomed their son, Robert Denvy William Welty (Named for his grandfathers on both George and Joyce's sides of the family). It was at this time, that George began working for Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, which later became McDonald Douglas. They welcomed their third child, a daughter, Marian Kimberly Welty (Named for Joyce's mother) in 1981.

As all 3 of his kids were members in the Glen Avon 4H Livestock boosters, George was an active 4H leader, mentoring and teaching other kids besides his own skills for raising Livestock, such as Horses, Rabbits, chickens, and especially pigs for 25+ years. 

McDonald Douglas then changed again to Boeing Aircraft. He did a variety of jobs for this company as a Mover and a Crane Operator until retirement at age 62.

George and Joyce welcomed their granddaughter, Brieauna Ashlynn Foraker in 1998, and their grandson, William George Mayes Welty in 2018.

He had a variety of skills and hobbies he pursued in retirement while being a full-time proud Grandpa to his two grandchildren, He enjoyed leather craft, mechanics, gardening, bowling, knitting, fishing and was an avid reader. George and Joyce loved animals, and they loved all the kids he helped teach and mentor through the years.

George is survived by: 

His Sister – Linda

His Wife – Joyce (75)

His Daughters – Deborah Marie (55), Marian (43) 

His Sons – Robert Denvy(51), Earl (50)

His Granddaughter – Breezy (26). Elysia (30)

His Grandson – William (7)

and all the 4-H kids he helped mentor, teach, and protect throughout his lifetime.