A Mass of Christian burial will be held for William L. Shaffer, a retired iron worker, at 10 a.m. today at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, 6804 McClean Blvd.

Mr. Shaffer died of heart failure Tuesday in his Parkville home. He was 54.

He grew up in the Hamilton area after his arrival from Manheim, W.Va., as an infant. He was educated in Baltimore public schools and graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1955. In January of that year, he married the former Dolores C. Bova.

In 1964, he became an iron worker for the Iron Workers Union Local 16 in Baltimore. In the early 1970s, he became a business agent for the company.

When he retired in 1989, he was a trustee for the Health and Welfare Division of the Iron Workers. He began a private courier business, Shaffer Shuttle Service Inc., shortly after his retirement.

Mr. Shaffer is survived by his wife of 36 years, Dolores C. Shaffer of Parkville; three sons, Mark W. Shaffer of Baltimore, Phillip G. Shaffer of Camarillo, Calif., and William L. Shaffer Jr. of Essex; five daughters, Debra L. Bell of Pikesville, Natalie B. Patek of Street, Felicia M. Schueler of Towson, and Deanna E. Lemmon and Lora L. Beery, both of Baltimore; his father, Robert T. Shaffer Sr. of Homestead, Fla.; a brother, Robert T. Shaffer Jr. of Hydes; and seven grandsons; and seven granddaughters.