Raymond W Schaefer

MORTON ~ Raymond William Schaefer, 84, of 117 Aspen Dr., passed away at 6:45 a.m., Thursday, January 10, 2008 at Morton Villa. Born July 3, 1923 in Cincinnati Township, rural Tazewell County to Albert and Lorena (Oberle) Schaefer, he married Carolyn Smith Church on September 2, 1950 in Pekin. Surviving are his wife; 2 daughters, Debra (Kip) Penning of Morton and Vicki (Fred) Albright of Pekin; 1 son, Matthew (and fiancé Anita Walls) Schaefer of St. Charles; 9 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and 1 brother, James (Charlotte) Schaefer of Pekin. Ray was preceded in death by 1 brother, Lewis Schaefer; and 1 sister, Helen Gray. He was employed by Keystone Steel and Wire Company in Bartonville for 35 years, retiring as a bricklayer in 1981. Previously, he had worked at the American Distilling Company in Pekin. Ray served as a radio operator with the 1st Radio Squadron Mobile in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II in the South Pacific where he received 3 bronze stars He was a member of the William Schaefer American Legion Post #44 in Pekin. He was a member of Pekin Lodge #29, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, where he was part of the Funeral Ritual Team, long-time chaplain and honorary Past Master. Ray was also an honorary member of Empire Lodge #126 in Pekin and Tremont Lodge #462. He belonged to Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Peoria; Mohammed Temple, Shrine; and Victoria Shrine #83, White Shrine of Jerusalem in Pekin. His memorial service will be at 10 a.m., Monday, January 14, 2008 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Home, Pekin Chapel. The Rev. J. Wesley Wilkey will officiate. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, January 13, 2008 at the funeral home with Masonic Rites at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Tazewell Animal Protective Society, 100 Taps Lane, Pekin, IL 61554 or Shriners Hospital for Children, 2211 N. Oak Park Ave., Chicago, IL 60707.