He graduated from the College of Wooster in 1965 with a B.S. in biology. He graduated from Syracuse University with a Ph.D in physiology in 1970. He worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, from 1970-1972.
From 1972 to 1978, he was professor of physiology at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. From 1978 to 2010, he was professor of physiology at Indiana University Medical School-Evansville.
He was actively involved in various committees at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Evansville, at the food pantry of Patchwork Central, and at the United Caring Services. He was an avid gardener and loved to travel with his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jacob and Phoebe Schaeffer.
He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Susan Schaeffer; son, Benjamin (Anne) Schaeffer; daughter, Rebecca (Marc Leckstein) Darling; grandchildren, Zymair and Peter Schaeffer; and his brothers, Jacob and James (Terry) Schaeffer.
The family would like to thank the wonderful doctors, nurses, social workers, and techs at the Serenity Unit and St. Vincent Warrick Hospital in Boonville, Indiana.
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at Alexander East Chapel, 2115 Lincoln Avenue, Evansville, Indiana 47715, on Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. Visitation with the family will begin at 2:30. A live-stream of the funeral service can be viewed www.facebook.com/funeralstreamusa beginning at 3:20 p.m.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Evansville, 2910 East Morgan Avenue, Evansville, Indiana 47715.
