Schaefer, Roger E. (1932-2015)

SCHAEFER, SMID, FOSSE, THOMAS, BAKER, SECRET, SWANSON

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 4/7/2015 at 23:12:06

Roger E. Schaefer
June 6, 1932 - March 8, 2015

Roger E. Schaefer, 82, of Forest City, died on Sunday, March 8, 2015, at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

Roger was born on June 6, 1932, at Klemme, Iowa, to Emery and Caroline (Smid) Schaefer. Baptized and confirmed at the Reformed Church in Klemme, he attended school in Klemme through his freshmen year in high school. Because his family moved in 1947 after purchasing a farm near Forest City, Iowa, he graduated from Forest City High School in 1950. While in high school, he played football and was active in FFA, serving as president his senior year.

On May 28, 1955, Roger married Mary Lee Fosse at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Forest City, Iowa. He and Mary lived in and around Forest City throughout their marriage. An active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, he assisted as an usher, served on the property committee and the Board of Trustees, and frequently volunteered as needed.

Roger worked at a variety of jobs throughout his life. After graduating from high school, he worked at North Ag Fertilizer Company and then as a plumber and electrician for Langerud Electric while farming as well. Next, he worked as a crew leader for Winnebago Housing and later in Winnebago Maintenance. In 1974, he started working as Director of Maintenance for the Forest City Community Schools, remaining in that position until he retired in 1995. Then, he worked part-time for North Iowa Plumbing, Heating and Electric. Honored for his years of dedication and hard work for the Forest City Community Schools, he was inducted into the Forest City Educational Hall of Fame in 2003. A former member of Forest City Jaycee’s, he, also, served several terms on the City Planning and Zoning Committee and delivered Meals on Wheels.

His family and friends will remember Roger most for his quick wit, willingness to help those who called with an emergency, and his ability to repair almost anything. Using his years of experience combined with his own creative solutions, he could fix a broken part or solve a construction problem quickly and inexpensively. Family and friends will, certainly, miss the annual Christmas treats he made: caramel puff corn and fudge.

Roger and Mary spent many summers at Clarke’s Campground near Elysian, Minnesota. He enjoyed fishing and having family and friends come to visit. Indeed, he spent many hours in their boat pulling his grandchildren and their friends on water tubes and teaching them how to waterski.

He is survived by Mary, his wife of fifty-nine years; his children, David, and his wife, Valerie, of Clear Lake, Timothy, and his wife, Jodi, of Morton, Illinois, Lori, and her husband, Wadie Thomas, Jr., of Omaha, Nebraska, and Paul, and his wife, Shonda, of Grapevine, Texas; fourteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren: Brad (Kristen), and their son, Henry; Matthew (Sammie); Allison; Erin; Amanda (Jeff); Andrew; Emily; Tyler; Alex; Victoria; Sarah (Jimmy) Baker, and their daughters, Lily and Lucy; Evette (Marcus) Secret, and their son, Zavy; Marquis (Sarah) Thomas; and Tameka (Deandre) Thomas, and their son, Mason; his brothers, Don, of Bettendorf, Iowa, and Harvey, and his wife, Ole, of Forest City; his sister-in-law, Joan Swanson, of Forest City; and his brother-in-law, Doug Fosse, and his wife, Carol, of Grand Forks, Nprth Dakota.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Emery and Caroline Schaefer; his brother, Elwyn, and his wife, Marilyn; his sister-in-law, Mary Schaefer; his brother-in-law, Ronald Swanson, and his parents-in-law, Harry and Bertha Fosse.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., Friday, March 13, 2015, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Rev. Rod Hopp officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., Thursday, March 12, 2015, at the Cataldo Schott Funeral Chapel, 505 North Clark St., Forest City. Interment will take place in Madison Township Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Dollars for Scholars, the Food Bank, or Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Copyright © 2015, Cataldo Schott Funeral Home

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen