Elizabeth L. Schaefer, age 86, of Aberdeen, SD, formerly of Watertown, SD, passed away on Friday, October 11, 2019 at the Aberdeen Health & Rehab Center in Aberdeen, SD.
She was the widow of Frank Schaefer.
Funeral Services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown. Pastor Lamar Whittemore will officiate.
Music will be provided by Elizabeth's grandchildren, Colton Schaefer as organist with ReBecca Schaefer as soloist.
The family is requested to meet at the chapel on Wednesday by 1:30 p.m. for a prayer service. Visitation will be at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 from 5-7 p.m. and prior to services at the chapel on Wednesday beginning at 12 p.m. Burial will be at the Wilmot Cemetery at 4:30 p.m. Honorary pallbearers will be Elizabeth's granddaughters: Brianna Jones, Katherina Schaefer, Tiffany Buttke, Kendra Evensvold, ReBecca Schaefer, and Christina Senne. Active pallbearers will be Elizabeth's grandsons: Jason Schaefer, Joshua Schaefer, Jared Schaefer, Caleb Schaefer, Austin Schaefer, Cody Schaefer, Dustin Schaefer, Colton Schaefer, Andrew Brand and Michael Brand. Elizabeth was born March 11, 1933 in Peyton, CO, the oldest child of LeRoy and Kate (Troyer) Miller. She attended schools in Colorado and Arizona, graduating from Mesa, Arizona High School in 1950. She received a scholarship to play tennis at Arizona State College at Tempe (now Arizona State University).
Her junior year, she transferred to Bob Jones University for one year in South Carolina and then back to Arizona State College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954. She started teaching in Prescott, AZ, in 1954. She married Frank Schaefer June 18, 1955 and they moved to Marvin, SD in 1957. She taught school one year in Marvin, then did substitute teaching in Summit, raised five kids and helped with the farm.
In 1969, the family moved to Rapid City where Liz taught school in Black Hawk. In 1970, they moved to a farm in Wilmot, and she taught in the Sisseton School District until 1995. Mom accepted Jesus as her savior when she was six years old, and helped with youth groups on Wednesday nights as a member of the Zion Community Church in Wilmot.
Later, she joined the Harvest Baptist Church in Watertown. Elizabeth is survived by her sons: Matthew (Deb) of Leola, Jeff (Valerie) of Linton, ND, and Robert (Stacey) of Midland, TX; her daughter, Susan (Rick Brand) of Elk River, MN; her, daughter-in-law, Joyce (Jeff Fluth) of Emery, SD; 16 grandchildren: Jason (Sheridan) Schaefer of Rapid City, SD, Joshua (Betsy) Schaefer of Rapid City, SD, Brianna (Matthew) Jones of Midland, SD, Jared Schaefer of Sheridan, WY, Katherina (Jeffrey Dufek) Schaefer of Spearfish, SD, Caleb (Emily) Schaefer of Estelline, SD, Austin Schaefer of Vermillion, SD, Tiffany (Brad) Buttke of Oaks, ND, Cody (Molly) Schaefer of Lennox, SD, Kendra (Adam) Evensvold of Palermo, ND, Dustin (Courtney) Schaefer of Sisseton, SD, ReBecca (Wade Goens) Schaefer of Florence, SD, Colton Schaefer of Rapid City, SD, Andrew Brand of Hopkins, MN, Christina (Austin) Senne of Rochester, MN, and Michael Brand of Duluth, MN; 15 great-grandchildren; her sister, Billie Banning of Flagstaff, AZ; and brother, Lynn Miller (Gayanne) of Melbourne, FL. Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband, Frank; parents, LeRoy and Kate; son, John; and sisters, Ann and Kathleen.
Service Details.
Visitation
When: October 15, 2019 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Crawford - Osthus Funeral Chapel (Watertown)
Address: Crawford - Osthus Funeral Chapel (Watertown)
Service
When: October 16, 2019 2:00pm
Location: Crawford - Osthus Funeral Chapel (Watertown)
Address: Crawford - Osthus Funeral Chapel (Watertown)
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