Irene Caroline Schaefer

CLERGY
Rev. Barry Nelson
MUSIC
Organist ~ Shelly Finck
Duet by David & Shelly Finck
Congregational Hymns
"Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me"
"Rock of Ages"
CASKETBEARERS
Bronc Dykstra
Tuff Dykstra
Ron Loudenburg
Roland Loudenburg
Abe Schaefer
Maurice Bueber
Irene Caroline (Reiner) Schaefer was born Thursday, October 5, 1916 in Tripp, South Dakota, the daughter of Henry and Katherine (Weisz) Reiner. She grew up and attended school in Tripp. After she graduated from Tripp High School, she attended Southern State Normal School in Springfield, where she earned her teacher’s certificate. She taught for two years in Gramm Country School, southwest of Tripp. Irene was united in marriage to William A. Schaefer on May 15, 1938. The couple farmed for five years about 4 ½ miles southwest of Tripp and then moved to a farm near Centerville, where they farmed for three years. In 1946, they moved back to the Schaefer homestead where they lived for seventeen years. From 1964-1968, they lived on a ranch in Idaho, which had belonged to the parents of their daughter-in-law, Libby. Due to failing health, William decided to return to the farm in Tripp where he died on December 17, 1968. Irene left the farm in April of 1969 and moved in to Tripp. She was a member of the First American Lutheran Church. Irene was the Weisz family matriarch at last year’s reunion, being the oldest person in attendance. She lived the last 13 months of her life with her granddaughter near Crane, Oregon. Irene passed away on Thursday, August 16, 2012 at Harney District Hospital in Burns, Oregon, having attained the age of 95 years,  10 months and 11 days.
Irene is survived by two sons: Dennis and wife Libby Schaefer of Fields, Oregon and James Schaefer of Mitchell; seven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, Henry and Katherine Reiner, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Schaefer; three brothers: Arthur, Albert and Otto; and five sisters: Mary, Edna, Esther, Annette and LaVerne.