Obituary for Kenneth Schaefer

Ponca City Now - April 11, 2019 3:52 pm

Kenneth Schaefer

December 5, 1941 – April 8, 2019

Kenneth Ray Schaefer, 77, of Ponca City, died on April 8, 2019, at the Ponca City Nursing and Rehab Center. A celebration of his life will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at 2 p.m. at the Trout Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Tom Howard officiating.

Ken was born on December 5, 1941, to Otto Frank and Velta Charlene (Keeler) Schaefer in Nebraska City, Nebraska. He attended elementary school in Sioux Falls and high school in Rapid City. Ken enlisted in the U S Marine Corp before completing high school and earned his GED immediately. He took basic training at 29 Palms and Camp Pendleton before duty in Okinawa and Japan, then back to 29 Palms, CA. On November 22, 1963 Ken was released from active duty. He was fiercely loyal to the Corp, the flag and his country. Ken married Mary Lou Curtis on October 18, 1964, in Boulder, Colorado. The next 35 years were spent in Boulder County. Most of his employment was in supervision and management. I had my own business in tool sales and later in custom woodworking.
Ken had a dry sense of humor and had fun teasing family and friends. If a family member or friend needed help, Ken would offer his time and equipment. He had a love of fast good looking cars and Chevy Corvairs of which he had 11 over the years with the latest being a 1961 Corvair ramp side pickup. Ken did most of the engine work on the cars he had. When he lived in Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota he was an avid fisherman before moving to Ponca City.

He is survived by his wife Mary Lou of the home, his daughter Melissa Bradley, husband Matt and children Cameron and Aubrey, daughter in Law Denise Schaefer and children Michael and Timothy, brothers Harold Schaefer, Robert Schaefer and wife Linda, nieces and nephews Jordan McClure, Danielle McClure, Brian and Amy Schaefer, Stephen and Sylvia Schaefer, Kelly Schaefer, Kristi and Aaron Razee, Wade and Joseph Schaefer and Dr. Leia Schaefer Aldrich, and numerous great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his oldest child Daniel Jay Schaefer, daughter Tamara Gwen Schaefer, Sister Radean Schaefer Reed, and his nephew Duke Schaefer.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Ponca City Humane Society.

Source: Trout Funeral Home