JOHN FRANCIS SCHAFFER

He was passionate about his faith and his heritage. He fiercely loved God, being Irish and Catholic, his loving wife of 55 years, and his family.

He was an avid reader, a charismatic storyteller, a writer and an architect. He liked having his hair combed and his back scratched. He was a hitch-hiker, an adventurer and a pilgrim. He loved cheap beer, gourmet food, fireplaces and tradition. His faith was stronger than his fear and he taught his family not only to take risks and to dream, but to walk in a line, according to height. Above all else, he taught us to understand that God is love.

He was the son of John and Helen (Nixon) Schaffer. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife Alice (whom he affectionately referred to as Ailis) (Welling); eight children, Mary (Chris Beckmann), Elizabeth, John, Matthew (Jaimie Marconi), Peter, Timothy, David, (Amber Scramlin), and Stephen, along with 15 grandchildren, Sophia, Hannah, Erica, Faith, Elijah, Zoe (Brian Gorski), Simeon, Fiona, Johnny, Ciella, Haskel, Levi, Leif, Sam, Alice; a great-grandchild, Lorraine (Gorski); his siblings, Sally, (Ed Torba), Susan Page, Patrick (Margaret Lowery), and Timothy, (Angela).

He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Helen (David McGrath), and brother-in-law, Ray Page.

The funeral service will be held at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Aug. 31, 2018 at 2 p.m. Following the service, the family will be gathering at Conor O’Neill’s from 4-6 p.m. to celebrate John’s life and to raise a glass in his honor.

The family asks any remembrances be made in his memory to Unity Acres. (unityacres.org) 2290 County Rte. 2, PO Box 153, Orwell, NY 13426

“I love you, A-lish. Dot. Dot. Dot.”

Please sign our on-line guest book at www.foxandweeks.com