Sue Jahn Shaffer Tihansky - Obituary

ue Jahn Shaffer Tihansky passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 17, 2026 in Edgewater, Maryland. She was surrounded by love and her incredibly dedicated community of caregivers. Her spirit and energy continue to swirl and move among us. She will be forever in our hearts and minds. Sue was an extraordinary woman. Born May 29, 1931 in New Philadelphia, Ohio, to Clyde Wallace Shaffer and Helen Catharine Johns, Sue lived life to the fullest, and brought fierce determination, creativity and persistence to all aspects of her life. She was dedicated to truth and goodness and finding success, no matter the venture. She was never afraid to take on big, new or complicated tasks. If it doesn’t work the first time, we will try, try again! She was a true force who would be your strongest ally when you needed it. Sue demanded excellence from herself as well as those around her. She firmly believed that anything is possible if you keep at it, and she would remind you that a winner is a loser who tries one more time. She was always ready to help celebrate your accomplishment no matter how big or how small. She would gladly share the celebratory bubbly, but not the tiramisu, so make sure there is enough to go around! Sue wanted to make everything around her better. She was a big thinker, dedicated to learning, improving and helping others do the same. She readily shared her ideas, observations and thoughts in sketches and notes and had a special knack for delivering sharp zinging comments that could be brutally honest yet incredibly helpful for those willing to accept them. When Sue was involved, life was more beautiful, more vibrant and more memorable. It also included lots of butter, dark chocolate, whipped cream or even a hot fudge sundae. When they were in their early teens, Sue and younger sister Ann Shaffer Koenig moved with their parents from Ohio to Coral Gables, Florida. They immersed themselves in their new tropical environment, trading the giant showy peonies of the Midwest for exotic cattleya orchids and fragrant gardenias. The family eventually settled in Tampa where Sue attended Plant High School, and then earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tampa. Sue married Basil “Hank” Daniel Tihansky in Tampa, Florida on October 10, 1959. They had three children—Ann, Jahn and Miles—and raised them in a creative environment. Their home was a lifetime project of shared artistic collaboration. Over the years, as the house was remodeled, renovated and decorated, it was a learning laboratory, and an evolving gallery that showcased the combined artistry, skills, craftsmanship and creative expressions of Sue and Hank. They were ‘do it yourselfers’ fueled by Sue’s ideas and executed by Hank’s craftsmanship. Sue had an incredible eye for home decoration and fashion and the house was her stylish showroom. If Sue could dream it, Hank could design and build it. Their children learned right along with them. As parents, they taught and encouraged each of their children to try and learn how things work using different tools and artistic media to express themselves. Sue and Hank were unconventional and open to trying new things. During those years, Hank built a rock wall along the east side of the house and created an indoor waterfall that trickled down the rocks into a pond in the living room; they carved ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ into the freshly poured cement for the new marble windowsills, and somehow the new tile floors were finished just in time for Christmas. The family celebrated these accomplishments together, enriched by the experiences. As time moved on, Sue continued to polish and refine both the interior and exterior of the home, filling it with treasures she created or collected from around the world. For Sue, art and creative artistic expression were central. Sue earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tampa and worked toward her Master of Fine Arts at the University of South Florida (USF). She studied with artist Bill Pachner in Clearwater, FL. Bill encouraged her to develop her own style and expression through oil painting. She was extremely grateful for his nurturing guidance and maintained her relation with him and her fellow Studio 1212 painters for many years. She began her early advertising career as a layout artist at the Jordan Marsh department store in Coral Gables, FL. She grew her skills in layout, illustrating, copywriting, typeface and design as she continued working at department stores Robinson’s, Maas Brothers, and ultimately at Jacobson’s where she was the Creative Director. Throughout her career she conceived and managed advertising campaigns that promoted Florida fashion and lifestyle while incorporating local history, information about nature, geography and landmarks that taught readers more about Florida and its unique treasures. She was also dedicated to creating socially responsible messaging that improved the communities she served. Sue and Hank exhibited their artworks together at many art shows during the 1960’s and 70’s including the Gasparilla Sidewalk Art Show, the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival and the Cedar Key Art Festival, where in 1967, Sue won First Prize for her painting titled, ‘American Girl.’ Later in life she took a beginner class in watercolor painting through the USF Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). She quickly mastered the medium, converted her living room into a studio and began teaching others. She continued to study, enrolling in many classes and workshops. In the early 2000’s she won several prizes for her paintings at the annual Strawberry Festival in Plant City, FL. Later, she participated in a watercolor workshop in the Tuscany region of Italy with artist Thomas Schaller. She remembered this as a life changing experience she wishes she had done sooner. She used her skills in layout, design and messaging throughout her life, volunteering to support many organizations she believed in; including her collaborative painting Studio 1212, OLLI, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jan Platt’s political campaign, Burgert Brothers Historical Photo Calendar, the Hillsborough County Friends of the Library, the Davis Island Yacht Club, Florida Bibliophile Society, the Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies, and the University of Tampa. Many years after Hank’s death in 1984, she had the good fortune to meet John “Jack” Patrick Walsh at OLLI. They became a remarkable couple that shared many interests ranging from the arts, science, politics, geography and history. For more than 15 years, they were actively involved together with OLLI, both of them volunteering, attending and teaching as they made many wonderful friends together. Sue and Jack traveled extensively with Jack supporting Sue’s creative activities. He was a fabulous cook and he helped Sue share the beauty of her home and host many wonderful holidays with family and friends. Sue was a lover of books from her earliest years. She started collecting children’s books and then expanded her collection interests to include antiquarian maps and books about Florida history and the natural environment. Preserving Florida’s unique natural resources was always important to her and her collection reflects how dedicated she was to this issue. She joined the Fellowship of the American Bibliophilic Societies or FABS where she participated in their annual tours and became very active with the Florida Bibliophile Society (FBS), creating their newsletter for many years. This challenged her to combine all her skills and passions related to books, art, layout and sharing ideas into one creative outlet. It also connected her to many members and leaders across this community. She was very proud of each issue. Sue believed strongly in the press (her father had been a newspaper man) and the responsibility of the media and the importance of getting involved, showing up for what you believe in and sticking up for your ideas. She dreamed of owning a newspaper, so she could share her ideas widely. If she owned a restaurant, it would be the kind where you eat what the chef prepares! In her last years, her eyesight diminished and she was unable to pursue her areas of great passion, but she continued to listen to audiobooks, attended the Bibliophile Society meetings, kept up with political affairs and stayed engaged with issues that mattered most, especially her children. Sue was immensely proud of her three children and her one grandchild. She took interest in all that they did, always encouraging them to shoot higher, try harder and keep at it. Sue was predeceased by her parents, Clyde Wallace Shaffer and Helen Catharine Johns; her sister, Ann Shaffer Koenig; her husband, Basil “Hank” Daniel Tihansky, and her partner John “Jack” Patrick Walsh. Sue is survived by her devoted children, Ann Bavolack Tihansky (partner David Arthur Easter) of Annapolis, MD, Jahn Shaffer Tihansky (wife Patricia Roberta Towne Tihansky) of West River, MD, and Miles Basil Tihansky (wife Kimberly Dale McNeill) of Peyton, CO; as well as her granddaughter, Anastasia August Arango of Tampa, FL. The family plans to hold a Memorial Art Show and Celebration of Life in her Tampa home at a later date. In lieu of flowers or cards, please get involved in issues you care about, write a letter to the editor, support your local library and bookseller. Support the arts in any way that you can. Take a class, sponsor a student, donate art supplies, help prevent blindness, support Hospice. Above all, do your best, keep learning and express yourself.