Frances E Schaefer

Born Frances Evelyn Bradley in Newhall, IA, September 12, 1915. Daughter of Dr. Carl L. Bradley and Iva Grace Stoddard Bradley. Her father was a family doctor for several small towns in the area. Her mother had graduated from business school and worked in her field before starting a family. Frances graduated from Newhall Township High School in 1932. While attending Iowa State Teacher's College (now University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls, IA she studied Elementary Ed. for 2 years, but spent so much time in the music department her professors convinced her to change her major to music. In her senior year she was chosen to perform the lead role in Bizet's Carmen. She even had to learn how to play the castanets for the part. She graduated in 1936 and went on to teach in Rolfe and Clarinda, IA schools. In Clarinda she met her husband to be, Eugene V. Schaefer. He was the instrumental teacher and she, the vocal instructor. They were married on June 4, 1941 before moving to Toledo OH where they had jobs in a private school system.

They had honeymooned in Colorado and fallen in love with the area, so at the end of the year, they resigned from the school district, made connections with some friends who had moved to Colo., borrowed tires (it was war time and you couldn't buy tires) and headed west, no jobs, no place to live! Frances interviewed with the Denver Public Schools and immediately was placed as vocal instructor in Horace Mann Junior High school where she taught until their first daughter, Cynthia was born on May 29, 1946. On Jan. 4, 1950 their 2nd daughter, Susanne was born and they moved from east Denver to the home they would own for 63 years in south Denver.

Frances began going to the neighborhood church, Kirk of Bonnie Brae Congregational and soon was asked to direct the adult choir there. She started children's and youth choirs which she continued to direct for over 30 years. She was honored to be chosen to direct the entire Denver area Children's Choir Festival and directed the music for several productions of the church and arts program for the area Congregational Churches.

As her daughters had children, she spent many hours teaching them piano and babysitting Cynthia's 4 (Paul, Tim, Kip and Heidi) and Susanne's 3 (Wendy, Brian, and Jenny) taking them to their activities and treating them with "overnights" at Grandma's house. Her grandchildren grew up, all graduated from high school and college, thanks in part to Grandma's support both financially and constant encouragement (the many boxes of cookies she sent to dorm rooms certainly helped too!). Those children are thriving in their professions, are married and have their own families. By 2004 Frances had 11 great grandchildren to cuddle as babies and enjoy this next generation of choir, band, and orchestra concerts, soccer, hockey, basketball, football and baseball games and lots of family parties. She was able to see her oldest great grandson graduate from Colo. School of Mines last May and knew that her great grand daughter was applying to music schools in the opera program. Sadly, she died just two weeks short of knowing Elise was accepted into the prestigious opera program at the University of Colorado. On Feb. 21, God called her home and we can guess God has her hard at work directing some wonderful choral program with the Angels in heaven!