Obituary for Christine Shaffer
Christine Shaffer (Houmis), 62, of Mays Landing, passed away on May 19, 2021 and has been received into the arms of Jesus after a long and courageous battle with brain cancer. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family.
Christine was born on September 28, 1958 in North Carolina to her late parents Louis and Rose Houmis. Christine attended Wall Township High School and Monmouth College while helping her parents run their motel business. When gambling was approved in Atlantic City, Christine became one of the “Original 500” dealers to open RESORTS International Hotel & Casino in 1978. Christine then opened the Playboy Casino and worked her way up to Pit Boss. After Playboy sold, and the Atlantis closed, Christine went into retail sales at JCPenny before getting her real estate license. During this time, her and her family took a trip to Medjagorie, and it was there that she rediscovered her devout Catholic faith in our Lord Jesus and a devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary. This renewed passion for God led Christine to go on and study, preach, attend religious events, and spread the Word of God. She had a heart of gold, and we all believe God knew it. It wasn’t too long before she went back to her passion of working in the casinos and joined Caesar’s Hotel & Casino, where she met the love of her life, Richard J. Shaffer III. Christine and Rich were married on May 16, 1992 and went to work together at their RESORTS LTD Inc. Real Estate Brokers. Rich and Christine soon formed another company, Condo Care Property Maintenance Services LLC. They went on to be blessed with three wonderful children, Gina-Marie, Richie, and Noelle. After Richie was born in 1996, Christine retired to raise her children and take care of her family. Her family was her life. She loved going to her children’s school, going to their sporting events, plays, dance recitals, and she loved family trips they took throughout the country. Christine loved disco music. Being an avid dancer herself since her teens, Christine, Rich, and her friends could be seen at various clubs throughout the area dancing the night away. As her children got older and being the active person she was, she came out of retirement to work retail part-time at Boscovs while managing Nancy Fox’s Fox Vocal Arts Studio in Ocean City. In her younger years, Christine skied and traveled the world with her friends. But since their honeymoon in Puerto Rico and St. John USVI, Christine and Rich found paradise in the Caribbean and they traveled there often. Regardless of what she did or where she was, she never stopped going to church, prayer groups, and studying the Bible. Christine has made so many memories with friends, her children, and most recently her three beautiful grandchildren. Christine had so many close friends over the years like Holly & Eric, Ivey & Mike, Elaine, Michelle, Stephanie, Kitty, Harry, Izola, and Mary & Doug, just to name a few. I wish we could list them all.
Christine is predeceased by her parents and her brother Lou Houmis. She is survived by her loving husband Richard J. Shaffer III of 29 years, her daughter Ginamarie (and her husband Evan) Lynch, her son Richard J. Shaffer IV, her daughter Noelle Rose Shaffer, her grandchildren Liesse, Elizabeth, and Jack Lynch, her sister Michele Houmis, and numerous other relatives and friends.
Viewings will be held on Monday, May 24 from 7-9 PM and Tuesday, May 25 from 9:30-10:30 AM at the Boakes Funeral Home, 6050 Main St., Mays Landing. A funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, at 11 AM, at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 5021 Harding Hwy., Mays Landing. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org
Christine was born on September 28, 1958 in North Carolina to her late parents Louis and Rose Houmis. Christine attended Wall Township High School and Monmouth College while helping her parents run their motel business. When gambling was approved in Atlantic City, Christine became one of the “Original 500” dealers to open RESORTS International Hotel & Casino in 1978. Christine then opened the Playboy Casino and worked her way up to Pit Boss. After Playboy sold, and the Atlantis closed, Christine went into retail sales at JCPenny before getting her real estate license. During this time, her and her family took a trip to Medjagorie, and it was there that she rediscovered her devout Catholic faith in our Lord Jesus and a devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary. This renewed passion for God led Christine to go on and study, preach, attend religious events, and spread the Word of God. She had a heart of gold, and we all believe God knew it. It wasn’t too long before she went back to her passion of working in the casinos and joined Caesar’s Hotel & Casino, where she met the love of her life, Richard J. Shaffer III. Christine and Rich were married on May 16, 1992 and went to work together at their RESORTS LTD Inc. Real Estate Brokers. Rich and Christine soon formed another company, Condo Care Property Maintenance Services LLC. They went on to be blessed with three wonderful children, Gina-Marie, Richie, and Noelle. After Richie was born in 1996, Christine retired to raise her children and take care of her family. Her family was her life. She loved going to her children’s school, going to their sporting events, plays, dance recitals, and she loved family trips they took throughout the country. Christine loved disco music. Being an avid dancer herself since her teens, Christine, Rich, and her friends could be seen at various clubs throughout the area dancing the night away. As her children got older and being the active person she was, she came out of retirement to work retail part-time at Boscovs while managing Nancy Fox’s Fox Vocal Arts Studio in Ocean City. In her younger years, Christine skied and traveled the world with her friends. But since their honeymoon in Puerto Rico and St. John USVI, Christine and Rich found paradise in the Caribbean and they traveled there often. Regardless of what she did or where she was, she never stopped going to church, prayer groups, and studying the Bible. Christine has made so many memories with friends, her children, and most recently her three beautiful grandchildren. Christine had so many close friends over the years like Holly & Eric, Ivey & Mike, Elaine, Michelle, Stephanie, Kitty, Harry, Izola, and Mary & Doug, just to name a few. I wish we could list them all.
Christine is predeceased by her parents and her brother Lou Houmis. She is survived by her loving husband Richard J. Shaffer III of 29 years, her daughter Ginamarie (and her husband Evan) Lynch, her son Richard J. Shaffer IV, her daughter Noelle Rose Shaffer, her grandchildren Liesse, Elizabeth, and Jack Lynch, her sister Michele Houmis, and numerous other relatives and friends.
Viewings will be held on Monday, May 24 from 7-9 PM and Tuesday, May 25 from 9:30-10:30 AM at the Boakes Funeral Home, 6050 Main St., Mays Landing. A funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, at 11 AM, at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 5021 Harding Hwy., Mays Landing. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org