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Marjorie Ruth Schaefer, 82

| September 16, 2010 10:00 PM

She was born in Lynn, Mass., on Nov. 26, 1927, to John and Lorene Turner.

She went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus on Sept. 12, 2010.

The second-youngest of nine children, she spent many hours with her siblings sitting at her father's feet listening to him sing hymns and old gospel songs. She met the love of her life, George, and married him in 1955. She had six children, Edward, Robert, Roxanne, Paul, George Jr., and David; 20 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews. She leaves behind two sisters, Barbara and Lorene. When she arrived in Heaven she was greeted by her son, Robert, and three of her grandchildren, Edward Jr., Leia and Benjamin. Her family was most dear to her life, and she was happiest when she was with them.

She enjoyed working in retirement homes as a medical dispenser (nurse's aid) in her 40s, and also did private nursing. All her patients greatly enjoyed her vitality and her sympathetic attention. When in her 50s, she decided to finish high school; she received her high school diploma at 52 years old!

She was a poet, entering her poetry into contests and winning consistently. She played a little guitar, and entertained the residents at retirement homes with her music. She was always entering flowers, vegetables, decorated hats, and other fun projects in the local county fair, and won quite a few awards. She loved home-grown tomatoes, and frequently had a vegetable garden. She raised pigs, rabbits, goats, and even earthworms. At one time she had a pet pig who would travel with her on errands to town, safely strapped in its baby car seat.

Bingo was one of her great enjoyments, not only for the excitement of winning but for the many friends she would meet. Her son and grandchildren enjoyed accompanying her on dice-throwing expeditions to the nearby craps table - everyone was lucky when Grandma threw the dice!

She and George were generous to a fault, and were always ready to help friends and relatives in need, and sometimes friends of friends. They spent much time at functions of the Military Vehicle Collectors Club, which they greatly enjoyed. George restored a 1941 Willys Jeep (as well as several other WWII-era military vehicles) and dedicated it to the memory of Margie's brother "Tiny", who was a medic during WWII, and was killed during the D-Day invasion while attending to wounded men on the battlefield. Margie and George took their restored 1941 Dodge ambulance to the actual Omaha Beach, in Normandie, France, on the 60th anniversary of D-Day. They also entered their vehicles in numerous parades in California and Idaho.

Her love, her energy and her high spirits will be greatly missed by all who knew her. A memorial service will be held at Hayden Lake Friends Church at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010.