Marcus Ervin Shaft

Marcus Ervin "Monk" Shaft, 96 years old, of 55 Dorchester Avenue, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, August 18, 2011. Mr. Shaft was a life-long resident of Asheville and was a wonderful and devoted husband and father to his wife, six children and grandchildren and maintained several jobs throughout his life to support this family and also to help out his parents during his early working life. His first position was at the age of 14 when he delivered coal. Some of his other positions included delivering milk for Biltmore Dairy Farms and Sealtest Dairy and also as a machinist at Asheville and Mars Hosiery Mills. He also worked many years as a mechanic at Johnson's Exxon on Patton Avenue and Marshall's service station on Haywood Road and his final position was as a Security Guard at Farmer's Market from which he retired at age 86. Mr. Shaft loved building and fixing items and spent many of his days doing this. He was never too busy to help his family or friends with their car or additions to their home and he never met a person with whom he could not make a conversation. He was also a devoted member of Cornerstone Church where he was faithful to attend for many years. Mr. Shaft was preceded in death by his parents, Albert Shaft, Sr. and Laura Miller Shaft. He was also preceded in death by his beloved wife of 73 years, Mary Conner Shaft, a daughter, Barbara Shaft, a son, Charles Shaft, and a granddaughter, Suzanne Shaft. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Marjorie Burns and Ellen Cohen, and his brothers, Albert Shaft, Jr., and Clyde "Malone" Shaft. Mr. Shaft is survived by four children - Mary Martin (David) of Asheville, Jack Shaft (Linda) of Atlanta, Georgia, Richard Shaft (Edith) of Knoxville, Tennessee and Natalie Shaft of the home. He also is survived by his five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue on Friday, August 19th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The funeral will be on Saturday, August 20th at Cornerstone Church at 11:00 a.m. at 12 South French Broad Avenue. Flowers are welcome and memorials in honor of Mr. Shaft can also be made to Cornerstone Church. The family also wishes to thank the caregivers who supported and assisted in taking care of Mr. Shaft in the last months of his life.