Obituary of Aileen Schafer

Aileen Schafer Mary Aileen Schafer passed away May 13, 2018 at Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak, Iowa. Aileen, the only child of Wallis and Abigail (Kernan) Olp, was born January 16, 1932 in Hastings, Nebraska. She graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Grand Island, Nebraska and attended Rosary College in River Forest, Illinois and Duchesne College in Omaha, Nebraska. Aileen married Stanley N. Schafer on June 27, 1953 in Grand Island, Nebraska. They had ten children, eight boys and two girls. Education was important to Stan and Aileen and their children pursued professional degrees. Stan and Aileen lived most of their married life in Villisca, Iowa. Aileen was widowed on April 30, 1986. She continued to live in their family home in Villisca until December 2016 when she moved to Arlington Place in Red Oak, Iowa. Aileen was an active member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Villisca, Iowa and had served as a board member for the Des Moines Diocese. She volunteered many years for the Villisca Red Cross Bloodmobile, Villisca’s We Care, Villisca Food Bank and the Hairdressers at the Villisca Good Samaritan Nursing Home. She served as Cub Scout leader and was a board member of the Good Samaritan Nursing Home. She was a longtime bleacher warmer for the Villisca Bluejays and Jayettes. Aileen enjoyed her friends, playing bridge, exercising at the Clarinda swimming pool and donating her time to worthy causes. Survivors include her ten children: Marty and wife Sherry of West Des Moines, Anne Schafer and husband Victorino Cabrera of Nueva Italia, Paraguay, Tom and wife Lauri of Jacksonville, Florida, Mike of Muscatine, Iowa, John and wife Charla of Muscatine, Iowa, Steve of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Cathy Villareal and husband Jim of Salt Lake City, Utah, Kevin of Emerson, Iowa, Scott and wife Diane of Naperville, Illinois, Mark of Jacksonville, Florida; twenty-two grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Visitation will be held Monday, May 21st at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Villisca starting with a Rosary at 4:30 PM with family there until 6:30 PM. Funeral Mass will be celebrated atSt. Joseph’s Catholic Church on May 22nd at 10:00 AM with Father Eze’s and Father Kirigia officiating. Inurement will immediately follow services at the Villisca Cemetery followed by a reception at the Villisca Community Center. All wishing to attend are welcome. Memorials are suggested for Villisca Good Samaritan Nursing Home, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Villisca and St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Red Oak.