Joe Len Shaver

Joe Len Shaver, 75, of Winston-Salem peacefully passed away on May 15, 2023, surrounded by his family at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home after a brief battle with cancer. Joe was born in Forsyth County on August 4, 1947, the first child of the late Conrad Elbert Shaver and the late Frances Shaver Musten. Joe graduated from Parkland High School in 1966 where he played the drums in the marching band. He was a Cold War Veteran enlisting in the US NAVY in 1967. While in the Navy Joe served on the USS George Washington SSBN-598 which was the first in class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. His rank upon being honorably discharged was Torpedoman Second Class. Upon leaving the Navy Joe returned to Winston-Salem where he worked several jobs and eventually became manager of 150 Gun and Tackle in Kernersville where he thoroughly enjoyed his job as he loved to fish. Joe was a master when it came to working with his hands, and he later opened JLS Mobile Home Repair, where he has been the Owner/Operator for 30 years.

Joe was a lover of music. In the 80’s he was a deejay at Allen’s Country, a country dance club/bar in Kernersville where he met several famous country music stars of that era and even went fishing with a few of them. His father taught him to play the organ/piano by ear, and Joe taught himself to play the drums and the guitar. Joe had a recording studio in his basement where he spent a lot of time writing and recording music. His musical claim to fame would be the “Hege Ballad” about Sheriff Hege of Davidson County which was played on local radio stations during that time.

Joe was an avid sports fan, a life-long Redskins football fan eventually becoming a Panthers fan, and a huge NASCAR fan. Every Sunday you could be sure that you could find him in front of the television watching one of the two. Joe even took his sports fandom a step further by becoming a football coach for the Pop Warner teams the Kernersville Raiders and the Tiny Grayhounds, coaching the latter all the way to the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Orlando, FL in 1996.

In addition to his parents Joe was preceded in death by his loving wife of 35 years, Diane “Penny” Shaver, whom he lovingly cared for during her illness prior to her passing, his brother, Don C. Shaver, and his step-father John C. Musten. He is survived by his only daughter, Kacie Shaver and Fiancé Michael Tyler, sister Sue Shaver Fox (Sam), brother Kim Shaver, and sister-in-law Jane B. Shaver, nephews Sean Brewer (Elaine), Scott Brewer, nieces Ashley Atkins (David), Julie Smith (Phillip), cousins Tom Shaver, Clay Shaver, Tim Weavil (Tammy), Myra Bodenheimer, Betsy Lewter (Roy), Judy Sink, Gay Sharon Brothers, and his beloved cats. Joe loved his family and believed deeply in family values and therefore it only seems fitting to list them all.

A special thanks to the friends and family who have supported the immediate family during this time, and also to Joe’s neighbors who have helped to care for his cats and helped with housekeeping during this time.

A memorial service will be held at Frank Vogler and Sons in Clemmons, NC at 2PM on Thursday May 25, 2023, with Minister David Miller of Triad Church of Christ (Kernersville) and Sean Brewer officiating. The family will receive friends with a catered visitation at the Funeral Home immediately following the service. All are welcome and invited to share fond memories of Joe at that time. There will be a military burial with military funeral honors scheduled at a later date at the National Cemetery in Salisbury, NC. The family requests that donations be made to Trellis Supportive Care at www.trellissupport.org/content/ways-give, or a local cat shelter.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.frankvoglerandsonsclemmons.com for the Shaver family.