Ms. Schaffner was born Jan. 16, 1944, and grew up in the Carver Homes project in Inkster. Her father was a cement worker and her mother worked as a nurse's aide.
Ms. Schaffner, Gladys Horton, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart Motley and Georgia Dobbins founded the Marvelettes while schoolmates and friends at Inkster High School in 1960. The group performed in a school talent competition and while they did not win, they were spotted by a record producer affiliated with Tamla Records. When Tamla became Motown, Berry Gordy changed their name from the Casinyets, as in "can't sing yet" to the Marvelettes. The group released their single, Please Mr. Postman, in 1961, the first Motown number one hit.
Dobbins was later replaced in the group by Wanda Young.
The Marvelettes went on to record 26 songs which made it to national hit lists during the career of the legendary group including Playboy, Beechwood 4-5769, Too Many Fish in the Sea, Don't Mess with Bill and The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game.
Ms. Schaffner and The Marvelettes were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2010 and were finally awarded their deserved gold record for sales of Please Mr. Postman in 2004, 43 years after the release of the song. The Marvelettes are also named in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame and were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and 2015.
Ms. Schaffner was the mother of two daughters and a son. One of her daughters said a private memorial for Ms. Schaffner is being planned for January on what would have been her 80th birthday but there will be no public service.
