Martha Lynn Laney Shaver, a resident of Fairfield passed away on Monday, October 21, 2019 in Palestine, Texas.
Lynn was born on August 20, 1935 in Athens, Texas to Margaret Ballow Laney and Roy Alton Laney.
She was a 1952 graduate of Athens High School and enrolled in North Texas State College, now The University of North Texas, as a freshman journalism major.
In 1954 she married Louis Harold Shaver, a high school classmate from Athens. They transferred to East Texas State College, now Texas A&M Commerce, and completed their degrees.
Lynn received her Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism in 1956, and a Professional life teaching certificate for grades PreK-12. Her Master of Education degree in Elementary Education was awarded in 1969.
Lynn’s post graduate work was done at Sam Houston State University and Texas A&M College Station. She received two Life certificates authorizing her to perform duties as a Professional Supervisor and a Professional Reading Specialist.
Lynn served in various public schools in Texas including Houston, Wharton, Cross Roads, Greenville, Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield.
Her tenure as a teacher and administrator spanned 34 years. The last 20 years were in Fairfield ISD. She began her career as a first-grade teacher in Houston in 1957 and retired in 1995 as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in Fairfield ISD.
After her retirement in 1995 she was employed by Houghton Mifflin Company for five years as an Educational Consultant in the school division.
Lynn was a life member of Texas State Teachers Association and served as vice president of the Freestone County Chapter.
She held membership in Zeta Mu Chapter Kappa Delta Pi, Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading, Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Texas Association School Administrators. She was a charter member and vice president of the Graduate Wives Club at ETSU. She served two terms as President of Tau Chapter Delta Kappa Gamma, two terms as Treasurer and scholarship chairman of Trinity Start Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, scholarship chairman and member of Roger Q. Mills chapter of United Daughters of the Confederacy and a member of the GFWC History Club for many years.
Lynn has been an active member of the First Baptist Church in Fairfield for over 40 years. She was a member of the TEL Sunday School class and volunteered in the church nursery for several years. She regularly traveled with the “Keenagers” of the church.
Lynn shares her legacy with her husband of 65 years, Harold Shaver; one daughter, Sharilyn Shaver (Mike) Moore; one son, Louis Shaver Jr. (Soraya) Shaver and three granddaughters, Melissa Adair, Sarina Shaver and Lacie Shaver; three step-grandchildren, Jacob Hulse, Alisha McCulley and Cody Moore; one great grandchild, Brady Adair; one brother, Jerry and (Lynn) Laney and nephew, Blake Laney.
Visitation will be Thursday, October 24, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home, Fairfield. Funeral Service will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, October 24th at Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home Chapel, Fairfield. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Athens, Texas.
Pallbearers will be Blake Laney, Don Darden, David Darden, Maurice Burleson, Brent Moore. Honorary Pallbearers are Don Posey and Jimmy Clark
In lieu of flowers, memorials to: Dementia Foundation at www.dementiasociety.org or Alzheimer’s Association at www.act.alz.org
An online guest book is available at www.griffin-roughton.com
Arrangements by Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home, Fairfield.
