Francis Schafer, age 81 of West Bend, passed away Sunday, October 3rd at his home surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM on Thursday at Peace Lutheran Church in West Bend. Burial will take place in the West Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 – 7 PM Wednesday at the church.
Francis Eugene Schafer, the son of Carl and Marie (Dorweiler) Schafer, was born on May 29, 1940 in West Bend, Iowa. He graduated from West Bend High School in 1958. On August 19, 1962 Francis was united in marriage with Nancy Ann Stuhr in York, Nebraska. Francis had worked as a self-employed trucker hauling livestock and later hauled for Maxyield Cooperative, retiring in 2005. He was a member of Peace Lutheran Church where he had served as treasurer. Francis enjoyed camping, watching wrestling on TV, NASCAR, his dogs, making the grass lay down when he drove his cars and reading the newspaper from front to back. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.
Left to cherish Francis’s memory is his wife of 59 years, Nancy; children, Paul (fiancée Judy) Schafer of Louisburg, NC, Jon (Kim) Schafer of Ashland, NE, Sara (Kurt) Bonnstetter of Cylinder, Martha (Steve) Hoffman of West Bend and Mary (Chris) Newton of West Bend; 14 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; sisters, Karla Hanson of Graettinger, Pat Keeble of West Bend, Linda Konken of West Bend, Dorothy Struthers of Ankeny, Anna (David) Schwint of Storm Lake and Theresa (Dean) McKee of Sioux City; and brother-in-law’s, Terry Struecker of West Bend and Dave Welter of Ottosen. He was preceded in death by his parents; mother and father-in-law, Walter and Lenora Stuhr; sisters, Marge Struecker and Janet Welter; and brother-in-law’s, Clarence Hanson, James Keeble, Ray Konken and Al Struthers.
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