James Richard "Jimmy Dick" Shaver, was a Vietnam War veteran and Grantville resident. He'd been exposed to Agent Orange during the war and didn't reveal his affliction to anyone. Consequently, his daughter Merle was born with brittle bones due to inheriting her father's affliction. This caused the break-up of Shaver's marriage; his wife Bina Rae divorced him and took their daughter with her. Although Shaver was granted visitation, Bina fought this. Already a heavy drinker, Shaver became a regular patron of Club 250 after the Ring of Fire. Shaver was also among the minority who refused to learn the German language.