Age 92, passed away on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. He was born on March 22, 1917 in Ionia, MI. the son of Leonard and Agnes (Humphreys) Schafer. Mr. Schafer was a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and a graduate of the school. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus in Ionia and was a Past Grand Knight. He was a mail carrier in the Ionia area for several years before retiring in 1977. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife Madeline Schafer; siblings Ruth Bauermeister, Catherine Poole, Luella Boyd, Mary Edwards and Robert Schafer; step-son Michael Mullin; son-in-law Kermit Keiter; grandson Christian Whitten. Surviving are his wife of 39 years Gertrude I. Schafer of Ionia; children Diane (Ben) Whitten of Wimberly, Texas, Susan Keiter of Jacksonville, Florida; step-son Kenneth Mullin of Castaic, California; 8 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; siblings Raymond "Pete" (Mary) Schafer of Ionia and Virginia "Red" McKenna of Lansing; several nieces and nephews. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Melvin Fox at 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 4, 2009 at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 434 High St., Ionia. Rite of Committal will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Ionia. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m., Sunday, May 3, 2009 at the Schrauben-Lehman Funeral Home, 220 Rich St., Ionia. A Scriptural Wake Service will be held at 7:00 p.m.. For those wishing, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or American Alzheimers Association in memory of Richard. Online condolences may be made at www.schraubenlehman.com