MASON CITY - Eugene R. Schaefer, 87, of Mason City died Tuesday (January 19, 2010) at the Heritage Care Center in Mason City.

Memorial services will be held 10:30 A.M., Friday at the United Methodist Church in Garner with Pastor Tim Riekhoff-Faris officiating. Inurnment will be at Concord Township Cemetery in Garner.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church. Cataldo Funeral Home in Garner is in charge of arrangements.

Eugene Robert Schaefer, the son of Roy and Cora (Gates) Schaefer, was born July 13, 1922 near Klemme. He attended Liberty No. 9 country school and Klemme High School. He farmed with his parents and did custom work for farmers in the area. Gene also worked on road construction in north Iowa, was employed by Weisenberg John Deere and drove truck for Bock Transport in Garner. On October 15, 1950 he married Reta Humphrey at the United Methodist Church in Klemme. In 1953, they moved to Storm Lake and Gene began working at Farm Service Transport. They moved to Sioux City in 1960 and Milford in 1968. In November of 1970 Reta passed away. On January 17, 1976 he married Gloria Timmons Baker at Sibley. Gene retired from Farm Service Transport in 1983 after almost 30 years of employment. In 1987, they moved to Mason City and spent their winters in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas for a number of years. In August of 2008 Gloria passed away. He enjoyed fishing, especially at Two Rivers, WI and at several lakes in Minnesota, talking to people, puttering and in his younger years, water skiing and snowmobiling.

He is survived by his two children, Jennifer Helle of Milford and Jeff Schaefer (Cherry Urch) of Plano, TX; five step-children, Jerome (Kathy) Baker of Chapel Hill, NC, Diana (Mark) Rettig of Cedar Rapids , David (Cindy) Baker of Des Moines, Richard (Mary) Baker of Omaha, and Pamela (Robben) Wellendorf of Owasso, OK; thirteen grandchildren, Jaymeson Sprague, Jessica Sprague, Michael Baker, Amy Wiese, Adam Baker, Jill Zegers Joe Baker, Mark Wellendorf, Kara Baker, Allison Payne, Robyn Wellendorf and Stephanie Rettig, Heath Barry and Grant Barry; eleven great grandchildren; three sisters, Rose Trca of Story City, Iris Rayhons of Clear Lake and Daisy (Jesse) Schwichtenberg of Garner; and many nieces and nephews.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents; wives, Reta and Gloria; sister, Violet Weaver; brothers, Calvin "Joe", Donald and Merle Schaefer; and grandson, Frank Baker.