Shirley F. Sheffer, host of TV show 'Employment File'

Shirley F. Sheffer, 88, of Williamsville, died on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008 at Canterbury Woods in Amherst.

Mrs. Sheffer was valedictorian of the class of 1937 at Williamsville High School and graduated with honors from Houghton College in 1941.

She taught math and English in Williamsville schools before working for the New York State Department of Labor for 20 years.

As host of "Employment File," a five-minute summary of job offerings by the Labor Department, she wrote a daily script and taped it every morning at the studios of WKBW-TV.

Mrs. Sheffer sang in choirs and women's quartets in college. She was choir director of the Buffalo Christian Center, then became choir director at Randall Memorial Baptist Church in Amherst, where she was also chairwoman of the board of Christian education and the music committee, as well as director of Vacation Bible School.

She was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Dr. John B. Sheffer, a longtime professor of pathology at the University at Buffalo Medical School and a former state senator, who died on Oct. 17, 2007. She is survived by two sons, Samuel A., of Charleston, S.C., and John B. II, of Ocala, Fla.; one daughter, Deborah Alcott, of Fillmore, N.Y.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services were held on Feb. 2 at Randall Memorial Baptist Church. Arrangements were made by Beach-Tuyn Funeral Home.