Jack Charles Schaefer

Heaven just got a little more interesting!

As an Air Force brat, Jack lived in several states; but his most memorable childhood years were spent in Naples, Italy where he met Lucky Luciano and travelled throughout Europe camping with the Boy Scouts and playing basketball. Jack was a proud part of Atwater High School’s second graduating class in 1963.

Jack made the best decision of his life on March 25, 1967 when he married his devoted wife for more than 48 years, Ruby Anne Gunning. Jack and Anne had sons Jon (1971) and Marc (1976) to complete the Schaefer family.

Jack played basketball for Napa Junior College, averaging 4 minutes and 5 fouls per game. He graduated from San Jose State in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation.

Jack worked as a bagger at the Castle Air Force Base Commissary and was a seasonal firefighter in Lava Beds National Monument. As the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Atwater, Jack passionately dedicated 20 years to enhancing city parks; developing youth and adult athletic leagues and facilities; and providing area teens with jobs and responsibility. He continued to mentor and guide teenagers as an Independent Studies teacher with the Merced Union High School District for 10 years.

Besides the biennial family Disneyland vacations, Jack’s life passions included going to Lake Tahoe, playing and umpiring slow pitch softball, studying history, planting flowers, and trout fishing. He also enjoyed coaching for Atwater Youth Baseball and youth football and basketball as the Recreation Supervisor for the City of Delano. Jack was competitive in every thing he did, and he often had a story perfectly balanced with fact and hyperbole to make it entertaining and memorable. His best stories were recollections of past athletes- no one will ever be a better hitter than Ted Williams, and he never lost that argument. Jack’s extreme level of competitiveness and being opinionated was paralleled by his extreme level of love for his family and loyalty to his genuine friends. He loved and lived the San Francisco Forty-Niners and San Francisco Giants. As a fan since 1958, he never thought he’d live to see the Giants win a World Series, but he gratefully got three!

Jack is survived by his wife, Ruby Anne Schaefer; son, Marc Schaefer (San Diego); son and daughter-in-law Jon and Stephanie Schaefer (Merced); grandchildren, Tatem and Cole Schaefer; brother and sister-in-law, Marty and Janet Schaefer (Roseville); nieces, Valerie, Lindsay, Cassie, and Shelby Schaefer; and his Canadian cousins, eh.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ret. Lt. Col. Jack C. Schaefer and LaVerne Schaefer; brother, Donald Schaefer; in-laws, Frank and Victoria Gunning; and he is welcomed in heaven by his best friend and fishing buddy, Richard Bernasconi.

A celebration of Jack’s life will take place on Tuesday, December 15 at 11:00 a.m. at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, 1490 B St. Merced, Ca. In lieu of flowers, Jack requested donations be made to the Atwater Junior Giants, 750 Bellevue Rd. Atwater, Ca 95301; checks addressed to : Atwater PAL, memo: Junior Giants.