Elaine Christensen Shafer passed away on September 26, 2026. She was born on January 4, 1945, to Lyle T. Christensen and Melba Bingham in Glendale, California. In 1946, her family moved to Rexburg Idaho, and later to Moscow Idaho where her father completed his degree in architecture. They moved to Tempe, Arizona in 1954 and later to Glendale, Arizona, where she became LDS Seminary President in 1959-1960. Elaine graduated from Glendale High School in 1963, where she was Senior Class Treasurer, and elected to Harvest Royalty, Cardinal Court, and was a representative to Anytown. She also participated in Thespians, FHA, and International Relations Club.
She attended the Glendale Extension of Phoenix College 1963-1964, where she was elected Associated Women’s President. She attended Brigham Young University 1964-1965, and University of Utah 1965-1968, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education.
During the summers from 1963 through 1968, Elaine worked at Grand Canyon Lodge (North Rim) and North Rim Inn, except for 1966 when she was manager of Cedar Breaks Lodge. In 1968, she moved to Yellowstone National Park and worked in accounting until 1969 when she began teaching first grade in Gardiner, Montana, a position she held for seven years. Elaine toured Europe during the summer of 1972. She was a very talented artist.
Elaine married John Ross Shafer on March 20,1976 in Bozeman, Montana and they were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple. She became a homemaker and mother. They lived in Montana and Yellowstone Park until moving to Cedar City in 1985, when John began working for Utah Parks and later for Southern Utah University. Their children are Carl John (Ashlie), Brian Ross (Nicole), David Preston, and Charles Grant (McKenzie).
She is survived by her beloved husband, John; her children; sister, Louise (Kerry) Patterson; brother, David (Kim) Christensen; and seven grandchildren: Cohen William, Nathaniel Ross, Jackson John, Elizabeth Brooke, Elijah Cornelius, Elaina Jayne, and Brinlee Mikelle. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Dianne (Stan) Berg.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Greens Lake Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1120 W. Greens Lake Dr, Cedar City, UT), with viewings from 9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Interment will be in Cedar City Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary. To view the livestream of the service and share online condolences, please visit www.mortuary.org.