The family of Wendy Jo Shields Shaffer, who was one of 67 people killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided in midair with a helicopter near Washington, D.C., last month, said that she was a “shining star” from the moment she came into the world.
In a paid obituary that ran in the Pioneer Press, loved ones wrote about how Shaffer “radiated kindness and joy — sparkles and smiles seemed to follow her everywhere she went. She was driven, but effortless, ambitious, yet full of ease.”
The 35-year-old was raised in Mahtomedi and was living in Charlotte, N.C. at the time of her death. Her parents were Mike and Mary Wigstrom.
Moving away from Minnesota, she never let distance stop her from maintaining the important relationships in her life. She called her mother every day, often several times, if only to say she loved her, the obituary said.
“She was every parent’s dream: kind, hardworking, endlessly curious, and a friend you wanted your own children to have. Known for her boundless energy and fierce competitiveness, she lived life with an enthusiasm that inspired everyone around her. A three-sport athlete and straight-A student, she was driven by an insatiable curiosity, always eager to expand her knowledge and skills. From fishing and camping in the summer to skating on the lake in the winter, Wendy cherished every moment spent with her family,” the obituary read.
“She also always had the best advice for younger siblings and was so immensely proud of everything they ever did. She was the heart of her family — the kind of sister and daughter who always showed up,” the obituary said.
A 2007 graduate of Mahtomedi High School, she earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2012. She worked for Cargill for 12 years, where her “intelligence, drive, and commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone she worked with.”
But her greatest joy was being a wife and mother. She and her husband, Nathan enjoyed visiting local breweries and restaurants, getting together with their friends and traveling. She was “immensely proud” of their two sons, Shields, 3, and Bennett, 1, and she “poured her heart and soul into raising them.”
Shaffer was one of 67 people killed when a commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided in midair near Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan. 19, in the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001.
Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Mueller Memorial Funeral Home, 4738 Bald Eagle Ave, White Bear Lake, MN 55110. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, at St. Jude of the Lake Catholic Church, 700 Mahtomedi Ave, Mahtomedi, MN 55115, with visitation beginning at 10:00 AM at the church. A Celebration of Life will follow the funeral from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at JX Venue, 123 2nd St N, Stillwater, MN 55082.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Wendy Jo Shaffer Foundation at: WendyJoShafferFoundation.org.
