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Developer Roy Shaffer dies at 63

Although he was a builder, he donated acreage for nature preserves. Two hospital buildings bear his name.

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published April 22, 2006

CLEARWATER - Roy E. Shaffer Jr., who overcame a desperate childhood to develop more than 6,000 homes and see Morton Plant Mease put his name on two hospital buildings, died Friday (April 21, 2006). He was 63.

Mr. Shaffer died after a long battle with throat cancer.

In the last years of his life, he would go to the Grey Oaks subdivision, which he developed in East Lake, and watch a pair of bald eagles raise their families in a nature preserve he created as part of the neighborhood. It was, he said, a form of therapy. Just recently, he and wife Joni Shaffer watched a pair of eaglets they called Roy and Royola take flight.

As a dealmaker, Mr. Shaffer thrived on making the impossible possible. He gave back in appreciation for all he had been given: a wife he adored, work he loved, a successful life, good friends, fun. And he said he wanted the world to see that a developer could work with communities to preserve space for wildlife so that our children's children can watch eagles in the nest.

"I have no regrets," he said in September. "Everybody needs to think about what they do every day, because life is what you make out of it."

Given iron ore, he made gold.

Mr. Shaffer was born in 1942 in Lorain, Ohio, to deaf parents. His father could never make much of a living, and Mr. Shaffer grew discontented with his circumstances.

At 12, he stole a shotgun from a hardware store and blew the windows out of about 20 homes, he said. Then he ran away, living in the woods in a tent and washing dishes in a restaurant to survive.

One day, the restaurant sink got stopped up and a plumber couldn't get it unplugged. The plumber let Mr. Shaffer try and the boy was successful. The plumber offered Mr. Shaffer a job as a plumber's helper on the spot. And when the police caught up with Mr. Shaffer, the plumber sponsored his helper on probation so that the boy could stay out of the reformatory, he said.

After high school, Mr. Shaffer joined the Marines, went to Vietnam and left the service as Sgt. Shaffer.

When he got back home to Ohio, he continued with the plumbing trade for a couple of years. Then in his mid 20s, he went into business for himself as a builder and developer.

He and his wife, Joni, moved in 1987 to Boca Raton, where Mr. Shaffer developed real estate for financial institutions.

In 1991, they moved to Pinellas County, where Mr. Shaffer developed Brookers Landing, Cypress Lakes Estates, Cypress Cove, Grey Oaks and Juniper Bay.

In Pasco County, he was one of the founders of the Patriot Bank in Trinity and a member of its board of directors.

He donated more than $3-million and the 9 acres surrounding the Grey Oaks eagles' nest to the Morton Plant Mease Foundation. He also donated preserve land to Pinellas County and the land for a fire station on East Lake Road.

In a letter Joni Shaffer wrote Thursday, she said Mr. Shaffer had told her that he thought God wanted some lots developed, so he will be happy to do it.

"Roy's gift that God gave him was his great personality," she wrote. "He always has a kind word for everyone. He is a very determined and focused individual that had this enormous zest for life."

She said he loved puzzles and would think about them in his sleep, sometimes waking her up to tell her he had found the solution. The tougher the deal, the more he loved it.

His friend and lawyer of many years, Roger Larson, said he recently overheard Mr. Shaffer negotiating with an airline about transporting his body back to Ohio for burial. Mr. Shaffer wanted to use his frequent flier miles.

Lew Friedland, the president of Adam Smith Enterprises, the developer of Trinity, recalled Mr. Shaffer's tough negotiating skills and practical jokes.

"I'm just going to miss the heck out of him," Friedland said. "He was one of the most dynamic and caring persons I know. I'm just very, very sad that Roy's gone."

Joni Shaffer is grateful for the 40 or so years that they were crazy in love. She said he left notes all over the their home on Sand Key telling her who to call, what to do about things she will have to do herself now. But she said he has promised to watch over her, like he always has.

"Roy's got his wings and he loves his eagles and he's going to be flying up there with them," she said the day before he died.

In addition to his wife, Shaffer is survived by a sister, Mary Redilla of Amherst, Ohio, and several nieces and nephews.

Moss Feaster Serenity Gardens of Largo is handling local arrangements for transporting Mr. Shaffer back to Ohio for burial. A local memorial service will follow in the next few weeks.

He faced death philosophically.

Standing near the Grey Oaks eagle's nest in September, Mr. Shaffer answered his cell phone during an interview.

"I probably won't be living then, but if I am, I'll give you a call," he said into the phone. Then he hung up and smiled.

"That was my dentist," he said.

[Last modified April 22, 2006, 01:38:14]