Franz Schaeffer's Obituary
Funeral Service for Franz Schaeffer, 84, of DeRidder, LA, will be held on Monday, February 18, 2013, 11:00 AM, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, DeRidder, LA with Father Jude Brunnert officiating. Burial will be held at 1:00 PM Monday, at the Central LA Veterans Cemetery, under the direction of Labby Memorial Funeral Home of DeRidder, LA
Visitation will begin on Sunday, February 17, 2013, 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Labby Memorial Funeral Home of DeRidder, LA.
Franz was born on February 3, 1929, to Sophie Reiter Schaeffer and Anton Schaeffer in Deronje, Yugoslavia. He attended school in NovaSad & Sombor, where he started his dental apprenticeship which was interrupted by WWII. In 1946, Franz was forced into a concentration camp, then later escaped and made his way to Germany with his family. He attended Nurenberg Technical Institute where he received his Meister Briefung as a Dental Laboratory Technician. He came to the U. S. in 1952 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953. He served in the U.S Army for 22 years and retired as a Staff Sargent. Upon his retirement, he worked at Fort Polk, Civil Service, for 21 years. Prior to his death, he was employed by the late Dr. George Fisher and the dental firm of Lestage and Goodwin. Franz enjoyed the outdoors and gardening and was an avid fisherman.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Barbara Teves Schaeffer; son, Karl Schaeffer and wife Nancy of Dallas, TX; daughter, Teri Meador and husband Rick of Baton Rouge, LA; brother, Johann Schaeffer and wife Betty of Perkasie, PA; sister, Theresa Gartenmayer of Indian Mills, New Jersey; uncle, Peter Reiter and wife Gretel of Abstatt, Germany; 5 grandchildren, Philip Schaeffer of North Hollywood, CA, Grace Hinton and husband Stephen of Houston, TX, James Meador of Mt. View, CA, Anthony Schaeffer of Dallas, TX and Jeremy Meador of Lafayette, LA and numerous nieces and nephews. Franz was preceded in death by his parents and 1 brother, Anton Schaeffer.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Smile Train U.S.A Worldwide Headquarters, 41 Madison Ave., 28th Floor, New York, NY 10010, which provides free clef palate surgery to hundreds of poor children in developing countries.
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