Blaise Scot Schaeffer

Blaise Schaeffer was born on March 3, 1994, at Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Neenah, Wisconsin. From the very beginning, Blaise showed remarkable strength and embraced life with full energy and heart. He spent his first two weeks of life in intensive care after being born with hyaline membrane disease. At age two, he was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease and was followed closely by a pediatric cardiologist until he passed a stress test in fifth grade.

Blaise grew up active and competitive, playing soccer with Highland Football Club in Asheville, North Carolina before the family would move to Decorah, Iowa where he was the goalkeeper for his Decorah High School team. As a goalie Blaise would help lead them to the state tournament for the first time in school history. He was also a member of the homecoming court and competed in multiple sports, including soccer, football, basketball, and cross country—always charting his own path.

Blaise continued his athletic career with the Luther College Men's Soccer team from 2012-2015 and made an incredible impact on all those who he played with. Head Coach Chris Garcia-Prats remembered his impact; “Blaise always chose the team and put others in front of himself and made all those around him better. He was the first to encourage, the first to celebrate the accomplishment of others, and the first to pick up a teammate who was down.” In 2016, Blaise was chosen by his teammates as the Gordon Grima Baldacchino Award recipient. The award is given to the player that best epitomizes the values of Luther College Soccer and is considered the program’s highest honor.

After graduation, Blaise would continue to support the program by coaching at camps, attending games, sending the team and staff encouraging messages and even joining the 2019 Spring Break team trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His huge smile, positivity, kindness, and genuine care of others will forever be Blaise's legacy to the Luther College Men's Soccer program

Academically, Blaise was brilliant—graduating summa cum laude and earning Phi Beta Kappa honors. But those accomplishments only scratch the surface of who he was. Blaise was kind, generous, curious, funny, quirky, stubborn in the best way, and completely his own person. Ask anyone who knew him, and they will tell you—there was no one like Blaise.

During his senior year at Luther, Blaise created a program that converted unused dining dollars into food donations for the campus food pantry—an early example of how naturally he looked for ways to bring people together and care for others.

Blaise loved life, adventure, and especially cycling. He traveled the world– going to France during the Tour de France, riding in Mallorca, Spain, and completing a 100-mile gravel race in Banff, Canada. After college, Blaise rode his bike solo across the United States from Anacortes, Washington, to Bar Harbor, Maine. On one memorable day in North Dakota, he rode 195 miles. When asked how he managed it, he said the tailwind helped—and when asked if his butt hurt, he laughed and said, “Hell yeah.”

His close friend and mentor Jim Slauson shared, “Blaise took to cycling like he took to all of his interests - he was all in! This started as an idea, during college, and became a lifelong practice. Just recently he hit a milestone - 12,000 miles for the year - an achievement that he was particularly proud of.

Blaise began cycling his senior year at Luther. After graduation, being Blaise, he rode his bike across the US - self-supported. Cycling remained a lifelong habit and practice.

Blaise rode his bike for health benefits and raced his bike for competitive release. He shared rides in the areas he lived after college, for social and competitive engagement. He vacationed on his bike for adventure and life experiences. Blaise took his bike wherever he went.

Blaise was also the ultimate gatherer. Wherever he went, people followed. While on a cycling trip in Mallorca with 50 participants, someone remarked that by the end of the week they knew a handful of people—Blaise knew everyone, by name, and knew their stories.

He was a loving, fun, and deeply devoted brother. Blaise organized a sibling trip to New Zealand with his sister, Mackenzie, and brother, Brent. Together they jumped out of an airplane, explored glaciers and fjords, hiked, rode jet skis, watched whales and seals, and camped throughout the country in a Mercedes Sprinter Motor Home. Those moments captured Blaise perfectly—bold, joyful, and deeply connected to the people he loved.

He was a renaissance man who loved baking sourdough bread, eating avocado toast, having big conversations, and chasing curiosity wherever it led. He lived authentically and unapologetically, never worrying about what others thought.

In the words of his sister Mackenzie: “The only word to describe my brother Blaise would be light. We were only 17 months apart and grew up together. He was my protector and my biggest supporter. He called weekly just to say he loved me and to talk about life goals and future adventures. He dreamed big and lived that way—traveling often, riding his bike, and showing up as his goofy, authentic self. We always ended our conversations by saying, ‘It’s a good day to have a good day.’ And I will continue to have good days for him.”

Blaise is survived by his mother, Debbie Schaeffer of Durham, NC; father, Scot Schaeffer (Mike Borg) of Kings Mountain, NC; sister, Mackenzie Schaeffer of Savannah, GA; brother, Brent Schaeffer of Iowa City, IA; Liza Heimer-Lang (Brent’s fiancé) of Iowa City, IA

uncle and aunt, Bill & Janice Kraft of Carmel, IN; uncle and aunt, Bob & Tricia Kraft of St. Charles, IL; aunt, JoAnne Sefcik of Bartlett, IL; aunt, Karen Gilliat of Chicago, IL; uncle and aunt Liz & Pete Willert of Chicago, IL; cousins Nicole Gilles (Ryan), Brittany Kraft, Tyler Kraft (Erinn), Colin Kraft (Alyssa); Caitlyn Kraft, Alyssa Kraft, Jeff Sefcik (Christy), Lance Sefcik (Karolyn), Kristi Martin, Lindsay Willert (Tom), Keith Willert (Gwen), Craig Willert (Ashley), Brad Gilliat (Krisit), Kate Gilliat. Blaise is also survived by his girlfriend Haley Kilman of Nolensville, TN; his second family Jim & Terri Slauson, Will Slauson, JW Slauson, his wife Carrie Slauson and baby June Slauson. And many family and friends from around the world.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Zachary Schaeffer, grandmother and grandfather Willian & Jean Kraft of St. Charles, IL; grandmother and grandfather Joseph & Florence Schaeffer of Chicago, IL; uncle Mike Sefick of Bartlett, IL; uncle Brad Schaeffer of Chicago, IL.

A celebration of Blaise’s life will be held on Saturday May 30, 2026 at Peace Dining Hall from 1 - 4 pm on the campus of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. We will share a video of Blaise’s wonderful life, an opportunity for family and friends to share their Blaise stories and then we invite you for food and fellowship. Afterwards we will proceed to the soccer pitch at Luther as a final honor for our son.

We understand we are all so busy with our own lives. And we realize that Decorah Iowa is not the easiest place to get to. It would mean so much to our family if you could join us to celebrate our wonderful Blaise. It is the last thing we can do for him. Please come, please make your way here. We need to be surrounded by people who knew and loved him. This has been extremely difficult and a hug from you would mean so much.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Luther College in Blaise's memory are encouraged, directed to either the Blaise Schaeffer Memorial Scholarship or the Luther College Men's Soccer program. All gifts can be made online at givenow.luther.edu or mailed to Luther College Advancement Office, 700 College Dr, Decorah IA, 52101.