Irene M. Schafer

Irene M. Schafer, 90, of Beal City passed away Sunday, April 13, 2008 at Rosebush Manor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Beal City with Father Thomas J. McNamara presiding. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. The family will receive friends at St. Joseph Church on Tuesday from 4-9 p.m. and Wednesday morning from 9:30 until the time of the service. A vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Memorial contributions may be made to Rosebush Manor, Hospice of Central Michigan or St. Joseph the Worker School Endowment Fund. Irene was born January 15, 1918, in Beal City, the daughter of Leander and Regina (Bengal) Bierschbach. She married the late Frank A. Schafer at St. Philomena Church in Beal City in 1937. Due to a disabling accident to her father, Irene spent much of her youth working on the farm, forcing her to abandon her education. But after going back to school in her elder years, Irene was finally able to fulfill her high school educational requirements by receiving her GED in Beal City through the Fulton School District in 1995. She was able to walk through graduation with the Beal City class of 1995. Irene was also honored by Beal City as she was named the Grand Marshal of their 1990 homecoming parade. She was a life member of the St. Joseph Church and a member of its altar society. One of her favorite pastimes was playing cards. She was also an accomplished painter. Irene is survived by 13 children, JoAnn (Bill) Blessley of Signal Mountain, TN, Janet Oaks of Westland, Mary (Warren) Marazita of Niles, Kathy (Jack) Smith of Beal City, Susie (Bob) Barto of Grand Rapids, Gary (Vickie) Schafer of Charlevoix, Donna (Tom) Hutchinson of Blacklick, OH, Margie (Don) Dawkins of Sarasota, FL, Carla (Stan) Daniels of Haslett, Mark (LeeAnn) Schafer of Euless, TX, Lois (Tom) Mahoney of Brighton, Stanley (Jane) Schafer of Brighton, and Bernie (Sue) Schafer of Farwell; 35 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Beside her husband and parents, Irene was preceded in death by a son, David Schafer; three brothers, Eugene, Bob, and Elton Bierschbach; sister, Doris Jones; son-in-law, Gary Oaks; daughter-in-law, Barb Schafer; grandchildren, Patti, Cathy, Christy, and Mike Oaks and Alison Daniels; and a great-grandchild, Marcus Smith.