Eva Shafer was born in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas and later moved with her family to Emporia. She attended high school in Emporia and then attended Kansas State Teachers College for three years. It was while attending college that she met Hoisington native Leonard Enos "Gus" Shafer. The couple was married in 1930 at Wichita, Kansas.

Shortly after their marriage the Shafers moved to Kansas City where Gus engaged in the commercial art business. In 1938 the Shafers welcomed a daughter, Patricia Louise, into their home. Pat would in turn present the Shafers with two granddaughters. In 1966 Mr. Shafer began the fine art of bronze casting and Mrs. Shafer handled the sale of these sculptures. Mr. Shafer died in 1985 and Mrs. Shafer received a sum of memorial money intended for a scholarship. Barton County Community College received her generous gift with open arms.

Following her original scholarship donation the Foundation sought Mrs. Shafer's help with funding a gallery to house the College's permanent art collection. She agreed to help finance the facility with the promise that her late husband's bronze sculptures and paintings would be on permanent display. Since donating the seed money for the L. E. "Gus" and Eva Shafer Memorial Art Gallery, Mrs. Shafer has donated eighteen bronzes and five paintings to the gallery, all of them by her late husband.

Mrs. Shafer expresses her gratitude to the Barton County Community College Foundation Board of Directors for the recognition accorded her and for the expression of friendship extended over the years to her by the College.

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