Rose Shaffer, 96, of New Castle passed away Sunday, March 29, 2015, at her residence. She was born in New Castle on Aug. 24, 1918, to the late Thomas and Rose Mack Gilboy. Rose was a graduate of New Castle High School and New Castle Hospital School of Nursing, and later attended Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduation, Rose was employed as a private duty nurse and then by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as a public health nurse for 21 years. During her employment, she was an active member of the Pennsylvania Nurses Association and served on the board of directors of PARC in New Castle. She was a former member of the professional advisory committee of Lawrence County Visiting Nurse Association and the health advisory board of the Head Start Program and Infant Stimulation Program. She married Arthur H. Shaffer on April 9, 1939, and he preceded her in death on March 3, 2000. Rose literally kept the home fires burning, shoveling coal into the furnace to keep her toddler daughter and infant son warm when her husband, Arthur, was serving in World War II. She was a hard working, kind, generous and loving soul. After her retirement, she enjoyed traveling to many European cities and taking a cruise to Alaska. Rose is survived by her daughter, Joyce Shaffer of New Castle; her son, Tim Shaffer of Nevada; her grandchildren, Patty (Tom) Jenkins, Jeffery Shaffer and Colleen Shaffer; her great-grandchildren, Paul Joseph, Jaimee (Brigett) Joseph and Jackie Jenkins; three great-great-grandchildren; her brother, Paul (Julia) Gilboy; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death, besides her parents and husband, were her son, Martin Shaffer; two sisters, Mary Clark and Clara Jones; two brothers, William and Thomas Gilboy; two grandsons, Paul and Louie Parillo; and a granddaughter, Julie Joseph. A memorial Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, at St. Joseph the Worker Church, officiated by the Rev. Larry Adams. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, 11 W. Falls St.