BLANCA ARMIDA ROMERO HOKE SHAFFER served in both the Women's Army Auxiliary Corp and the Women's Army Corp.
Blanca Armida Romero Hoke Shaffer was born May 24, 1921 in San Diego. Mrs. Shaffer was raised in Mexico. She loved telling her family stories about her childhood south of the border.
She was one of the first women to serve in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (W.A.A.C.)
She was chosen as the model for the famous Word War II W.A.A.C. recruiting poster, "This is My War Too!" The original poster created by Dan V. Smith in 1943, is now part of "The Women's Memorial" collection in Washington D.C.
Blanca and Sheryl are both charter members of the Women In Military Service for America Memorial.
She was married twice. Her first husband was James C. Hoke, a U.S. Marine and they married in 1943.
They had two children, Jeffrey James and Sheryl Alexa. Sheryl's father, James C. Hoke served over 25 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
After her divorce in 1948, Blanca married James W. Shaffer Jr., a U.S. Marine. They were married for 50 years. They had one child, Cynthia Joy Shaffer. The Shaffer family have lived in Pacifica since 1965.
Blanca is survived by two daughters, Sheryl Alexa and Cynthia Joy, a son, Jeffrey James Shaffer, daughter-in-law, Alona, son-in -law, Eugene Kester, and two grandchildren, William and Jedediah. Mrs. Shaffer was preceded in death by her husband, James, and daughter, Irma.
Blanca Shaffer was buried September 29, 2000 at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.
