Beverly Jean Schaefer

Beverly J. Schaefer, 66, of Harpers Ferry, IA, died Thursday, January 28, 2010, at Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital in Prairie du Chien, WI. Memorial services will be held Monday, February 1st, at 2:00 PM at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, IA.

Beverly Jean Schaefer was born on May 27, 1943 in Charles City, IA, the daughter of Harley and Leona (Emmel) Neir. She grew up in Charles City and went to Charles City High School. On February 27, 1961 she married Don Schaefer at the Bethany Alliance Methodist Church in Charles City. Don was in the military at the time they were married and they lived in Brunswick, GA until his discharge in 1963 when they moved to Waterloo, IA. Beverly was a homemaker, but did some child daycare and also worked as an adult caregiver. In 2003 they moved to Harpers Ferry, IA, where they have lived ever since.

Beverly enjoyed playing bingo, following the Iowa Hawkeyes, knitting, and working jigsaw puzzles. She loved spending time on the Mississippi River, going for pontoon rides and fishing. She treasured the times she spent with her grandchildren and was very close to her two dogs, Muffin and Chloe.

Survivors include her husband Don of Harpers Ferry; 2 daughters, Julie (Bill) Saddler of Harpers Ferry and Shelly Barnett of Davenport, IA; 7 of her own grandchildren and many more neighborhood children who called her "Grandma Bev"; and 2 brothers, Delmar (Karen) Neir of Huntsville, AL and Larry (Nadine) Neir of Overland Park, KS. She is preceded in death by her parents and a son-in-law, Scott Druehl.