By HDN Staff
LAWRENCE SCHAEFER
CHESTER Lawrence John Schaefer, 88, died Monday, Oct. 2, 2000 at his home in Chester of natural causes.
Rosary services will be 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chester. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday at the church. Burial will follow at the Chester Cemetery.
Schaefer was born April 20, 1912 in Nicollett, Minn. to Leo and Amelia (Bushard) Schaefer.
Schaefer cam to Montana in 1940 to manage the Gamble Store in Browning. He met Amelia C. Peters and they were married in Columbia Falls on June 15, 1942. They moved to Chester where they owned and operated the Gamble Store for 50 years.
Schaefer was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and attended daily Mass for years. He was active in the Knights of Columbus. He was a third- and fourth-degree Knight and served as a former Grand Knight.
Schaefer also was a charter member of the Chester Rotary Club, Lions Club, Commercial Club, and served as a volunteer fireman.
Schaefer enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing cards.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sons, Donald Schaefer and Gerald Schaefer; brothers, Herbert Schaefer and Leo Schaefer; sister, Amelia Luepke.
Survivors include his wife, Amelia of Chester; sons, Merlin Schaefer of Punta Gorda, Fla., Paul Schaefer of Dallas and Marcus Schaefer of Charleston, S.C.; daughters, Karen Buck of Denver, and Frances Kammerzell of Chester; brothers, Henry Schaefer and James Schaefer, both of New Ulm, Minn. and Father Roman Schaefer of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; sisters, Esther Koss of Hopkins, Minn., Aurelia Boettger of New Ulm, Minn. and Sister Sharon Schaefer of Donaldson, Ind.; nine grandchildren.
Memorials may be given to the "handicap lift" fund at St. Mary's Church.
Arrangements by Rockman Funeral Chapel, Chester.
