Frank Nicholas Schaeffer

MONTELLO  --  Frank Nicholas Schaeffer, 93, of Montello and formerly of Slinger, passed away of natural causes on Saturday, September 12, 2015.

In his mid 70's Frank married Grace Fitzgerald and after her death continued to share a house with her son, Mike. Until just recently Frank worked one day every other week as a gauge inspector, commuting to Component Engineering in Hartford, largely for the workplace camaraderie. He was a proud member of AFEES (Air Force Escape and Evasion Society) for his wartime experiences after parachuting from his burning B24 and being helped to safety by the French resistance. Earlier Frank lived on Big Cedar Lake near Slinger where he was an avid sea scow sailor; then for some 20 years he owned and sailed the wooden sloop Americana on Lakes Michigan and Huron. He was an avid birder and nature lover. Frank was the last surviving sibling of the Charles and Emma Schaeffer family; others were Evelyn, Chuck, John, Janet, and Florence (Dolly).

In addition to his stepson Mike and stepdaughter Kathleen, Frank is survived by nieces and nephews Jeanne (Herb) Evert, Lynne (Marty) Sobczak, Linda (Tom) Kiesgen, Laurie (Doug) Egre, David (Marcia) Miller, Sue Schaeffer, Don (Jill) Schaeffer, and Chuck (Kathy) Schaeffer.

There will be a private memorial by the surviving family members.  The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.

Anyone wishing to honor Frank's life may make a donation to the Nature Conservancy, the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology or to AFEES.