Walt Schaefer

Walt Schaefer, age 87, of Winfred, SD, died Saturday, March 25, 2023 at Madison Regional
Health System in Madison, SD.
Visitation will be 5-8 PM on Friday, July 21 st at Winfred United Church of Christ. A celebration
service and fellowship will be 2 PM on Saturday, July 22 nd at Winfred United Church of Christ.
Inurnment will be in Winfred Cemetery with military honors provided by Madison VFW and
Madison American Legion. Online guestbook is available at www.rustandweilandfuneral.com.
Arrangements are entrusted with Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel of Madison.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to McCrossan Boys Ranch, 47135 260 th St, Sioux
Falls, SD 57107; the Winfred Cemetery, PO Box 67, Winfred, SD 57076 or an organization of
your choice.

Walter George Schaefer was born July 26, 1935 on the family farm in Winfred, SD to Raymond
and Margaret (Carmody) Schaefer. He graduated from Winfred High School in 1953 and
Yankton College in 1960. Walt received his Master’s in Social Work from the University of
Michigan in 1967. From 1955 – 1957 he served in the US Army at Letterman Army Hospital in
San Francisco and the Panama Canal Zone

Walt is survived by his wife of 51 years Pat; five children: Syndi (Don) Bohnet, Madison, SD;
Brenda (Tony) Miller, Crooks, SD; Sam (Paula) Schaefer, Santa Barbara, CA; Patrice (Mike)
Roth, Omaha, NE; Walter (Jen) Schaefer, Jr, Sioux Falls, SD; nine grandchildren: Elissa
(Richard) Kotten, Lucas Bohnet, Theo and Pearl Schaefer; Joseph, Addison and Thomas Roth;
Sidney and Anders Schaefer; great-grandchildren: Mabel and Caroline Kotten; siblings: Ed
Schaefer, Phil (Sharon) Schaefer, Paul (Marsha) Schaefer, Ray (May) Schaefer; sister-in-law
Norma Van Hove; brothers-in-law Chet Leone & Don Knispel.
Walt was preceded in death by his parents; brother William “Bill” Schaefer; sisters Louise Leone
& Alvina Knispel and sister-in-law Eileen Schaefer.