SCHAEFFER, KENNETH JAY, age 85, of Mt. Pleasant passed away Monday, October 15, 2018, at the McLaren Central Michigan Hospital.

Funeral Services for Ken will be held at Faith Lutheran Church on Friday, October 19, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Michael Biedenbender officiating. A Luncheon will immediately follow at the church. Interment will follow in Memorial Gardens Cemetery.The family will receive friends at Clark Family Funeral Chapel on Thursday, October 18, from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Faith Lutheran Capital Improvement Fund or the Rotary Foundation. Envelopes will be available at the funeral chapel and Faith Lutheran Church.

Ken was born on March 15, 1933, in Clare, the son of Harold and Sarah (Bauer) Schaeffer. Ken was baptized on April 16, 1933, and confirmed on June 16, 1946. Ken was the first male Home-economics major to graduate from Central Michigan University, majoring in food services. He then earned his Masters in Guidance and Counseling from CMU. He married Bonnie Lou Grace on November 27, 1952, in Rosebush at the Center Methodist Church. Ken worked in the Ionia Public Schools for 1 year as a teacher, in the CMU food Services for 15 years, and the Mt. Pleasant Schools Vocational Technical Placement and follow up Coordinator for 10 years, and owned and operated Schaeffer's Christmas Tree Farm and Nursery for many years. Ken was very active within the Mt. Pleasant Community, involved with Boy Scouts of American, receiving the Silver Beaver award. He also received the Jaycee of the Year award, Chamber of Commerce Eagle award, Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year award, past Rotary District Governor and active in the Mt. Pleasant Rotary Club for 53 years, with perfect attendance since his joining in 1965. He was also active in the Isabella County Youth and Farm Fair, co-chairing the construction of the fair grounds and supporting the youth at the small and large animal auctions. Ken enjoyed dressing as Santa Claus for the Chamber of Commerce, many families within the area and on the family tree farm. He also enjoyed gardening, deer hunting, fishing, golfing, and especially his church, Faith Lutheran Church. Over the years, Ken and Bonnie hosted 14 exchange students from around the world, and still remain in contact with many of them.

Ken is survived by his wife, Bonnie Schaeffer; children, Rev. Dr. Kendall (Karen) Schaeffer of LaPorte, IN, and Larae Fedor of Mt. Pleasant; 11 grandchildren, Rachel (Ryan) Winter, Joel (Katreena) Schaeffer, Jason (Katie) Schaeffer, Jeremy (Alex) Schaeffer, Tia Larae Fedor, Kenneth John Fedor, and Stephen Michael Fedor; 9 great-grandchildren; sister, Janet Voss of Clare; sister-in-law, Betty Schaeffer of Clare; brother-in-law, Leroy (Gail) Grace of Lake City; and many nieces and nephews.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents and brother, H. William Schaeffer.

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