Shaffer T. Day III

Shaffer T. Day III, 78, of Baldwinsville, passed away February 16, 2026, at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, NY.

Shaffer “Shay” was born in Tucson, Arizona on March 23, 1947, to the late Shaffer and Betty Day. He was the oldest of two children, both boys. His fathers work took them all over the US and even to Germany where Shay attended school for several years. After Shay graduated from Hershey High School in Pennsylvania, he attended Georgia Tech and graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He then went on to Wharton School of business and graduated with a master’s degree in sales and marketing. His career took him and Mami from Iowa to New Jersey to Singapore and their beloved Colorado. They ended up moving to Baldwinsville, in 2008, where they remained after his retirement from Lockheed-Martin.

Shay was an extrovert making friends wherever he went. His brilliance and passion shined through when talking about rockets, space, helicopters and planes. In his free time, he enjoyed volunteering at Beaver Lake, teaching Sunday school to the young members, grabbing a coffee with friends, and most of all, telling his Dad jokes. He was most proud of his work as an engineer at NASA. He enjoyed visiting NASA later in life to show his grandson the work he did on Saturn V. His smile radiated through and he lit up a room whenever he walked in. He adored the friendships made all over the world and had the kindest heart. But his true passion was his family.

He was predeceased by his father, Shaffer, his mother, Betty, and his beloved dog, Shiro.

He is survived by his wife of over 42 years, Mami Day; daughters, Cary Woodall and Sarah Voight; 3 granddaughters; and a grandson.

A memorial service will take place Sunday, at 5PM, at Calvary Syracuse, 103 Grampian Rd. Liverpool, NY 13090.

Memorial contributions may be made to Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville, NY. To share a memory of Shaffer or leave a special message for his family, visit the guest book below.