Dean Schafer, Marshalltown, IA

Dean Schafer, 68, of Marshalltown, Iowa, passed away peacefully on the afternoon of March 10, 2023, at the Israel Family Hospice Home in Ames, Iowa with his family at his side.

Dean was born August 29, 1954 to parents Gerald and Maxine Schafer in Grundy Center, Iowa. He was one of 5 children. Dean grew up and attended school in Grundy Center where he called home until 1973.

On February 27, 1973, Dean was united in marriage to the love of his life Vickie at the First Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. They built a home together in Marshalltown, Iowa and raised their two children, Chad and Leslie. Dean began work with the Chicago Northwestern Railroad in 1972 and held different positions within the company. He spent time as a conductor, switchman, brakeman, trainer, and test coordinator for Positive Train Control (PTC). Dean retired from Union Pacific in 2014 after almost 50 years with the company.

In his free time, Dean was active in many clubs including the Ames Area Woodturners, the Des Moines Woodturners Club and the Marshalltown Gun Club. In addition to his love for woodturning, Dean loved to go on rides with his wife on their Harley Davidson Motorcycle, going out for target shooting, admiring cars, stopping many a times for ice cream, listening to music and in his younger days playing the drums for The Occasionals. Deano adored his family and was always glad to spend time with them. They all called him a social butterfly who never knew a stranger and always had a sweet tooth.

Those left to remember and cherish his memory are his wife of 50 years, Vickie Schafer; his children Chad (Jessica) Schafer and Leslie (Rob) Meyer; his grandchildren, Oliver and Simone Schafer and Phoebe and Hudson Meyer; his sister Mary Kay Liston; numerous extended family members and many woodturning friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Jerry Schafer, Paul Schafer, and Steve Schafer.