GARNER - Mildred "Millie" Schaefer, 79, of Garner died Tuesday (January 26, 2010) at the Concord Care Center in Garner.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Saturday at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner with Fr. Brian Dellaert officiating. Burial will be in St. Boniface Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 P.M., Friday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner with a rosary at 4 P.M., a VFW Auxiliary service at 6:45 P.M. followed by a time of sharing. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to Catholic Charities, American Lung Association or The Salvation Army.

Mildred Mae Schaefer, the daughter of Martin and Anna (Hrubes) Stupka, was born March 6, 1930 on a farm north of Garner. Millie graduated from Hayfield High School in 1947. After high school, she worked as a bookkeeper at Reuben's Shoe Store in Forest City. On November 25, 1948 she was married to Calvin "Joe" Schaefer at St. James rectory in Forest City. Joe was in construction work and they traveled to different construction places in the Midwest. In 1954, they returned to Garner where they raised their family. Millie worked in a variety of jobs including the nursing home, Dr. Fuller's medical office, secretary at Garner-Hayfield High School and twenty years as part-time secretary at North Iowa Printing Company. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, church activities, card playing and, in her earlier years, camping.

She was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, Rosary Society and the Garner VFW Auxiliary.

Millie is survived by her six children, Sandra (LtGen Dennis) Hejlik of Camp Lejeune, NC, Linda (Gary) Lemke of Billings, MT, Janelle Luppen of Billings, MT, Joanne Case of Eden, NC, Joe Schaefer of Seattle, WA and Greg Schaefer of Ames; eight grandchildren, Jason (Kamber) Hejlik and their three children, Kayla, Kassidy and Kenzie, Jill (LCDR Mike) Brady and their son, Michael, Jamison (Linda) Lemke, Ben Lemke, Michael Schaefer, Chris Schaefer, Jenny Schaefer and Ryan Schaefer; a sister, Anna Tlach of Garner; a brother, Clarence (Marlene) Stupka of Ankeny; sisters-in-law, Rose Trca, Iris Rayhons and Daisy (Jesse) Schwichtenberg; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe, Dec. 28, 1990; her parents; sisters, Agnes Formanek and Dorothy Bosch; and brothers, Lewis, Ray and Harold Stupka. ... Read More