Magdalen Schafer Obituary

Magdalen Faye Schafer

June 28, 1924 - June 22, 2025

MIDDLETON-Magdalen F. Schafer, age 100, died peacefully of natural causes with her family by her side on Sunday, June 22, 2025. Having lived in Middleton for over 30 years, she recently moved to Godfrey, IL to be near her family. She was born on June 28, 1924, in Baraboo, the daughter of Albert Schnurr of St. Nazianz and Faye Mack of Tomah. They preceded her in death as did her sister Mary Margaret Endres of Mineral Point. Magdalen (Mag) was raised in Mineral Point and was a 1943 graduate of Mineral Point High School and a 1947 graduate of Carroll College, earning a B.A. in Biology. Mag later received a master's degree from the University of Maryland.

In 1949, Mag married Robert (Bob) Schafer of Dodgeville, who preceded her in death in 1998. After a brief period of teaching in Wisconsin, Bob and Mag accepted positions with the DOD Overseas School System, and spent thirty years teaching in Guam, Japan, Germany, Philippines, Bermuda, Iceland, and Azores. In 1985, Bob and Mag retired and settled in Middleton. Mag continued teaching for a few years after retirement at St. Francis in Cross Plains. Mag loved spending time in her gardens, cooking meals she learned in other countries, and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and neighborhood friends.

Mag is survived by her children; son, Kim Schafer (Judy) and granddaughter, Cara Schafer (Ken Rosenblum), of Bethesda, MD, daughter, Kam Schafer-Masarsky (Jack) of Alexandria, VA, son Kit Schafer (Mary) and grandsons Aaron Schafer and Daniel Schafer (Marisa) of St. Louis, MO, daughter, Kei Heid (Steve) and grandson Cooper Heid of Houston, TX, son Kas Schafer and grandchildren Tessa Walker (Jacob) and Chase Schafer of Myrtle Beach, SC. She was also a great grandmother to Natalie and Mia Schafer and expecting a Rosenblum great granddaughter in August.

A private memorial service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where Mag will be inurned alongside her late husband Bob in the columbarium.