Paul Allen Schafer

Paul Allen Schafer age 66 of Homer, Alaska formerly of Rush City, MN passed away on May 18, 2009 at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska surrounded by his children. Paul was the youngest of five children born to Carl Schafer Sr. and Irene (Card) Schafer on November 27, 1942 in Youngstown, OH. Paul graduated from Mounds View High School in 1961. Paul married Sharon Sotebeer on February 27, 1965. They had four children together. Bradley, Jon, Christine, and Victoria. Paul was always a self motivator and was self-employed most of his life. In the early years, he was a roofer and kept very busy after the tornado of 1965 hit the Fridley, MN area. He continued owning his own business by opening two Barbario Cheese Houses. One at Apache Plaza in St. Anthony, MN and one at Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud, MN. He then started working with livestock and became a licensed livestock dealer mainly buying and selling dairy cattle. He and Sharon purchased the Grant House Hotel and Café in Rush City, MN in 1987. Paul’s love and talent for good home cooking brought people from all over the area to the Grant House. His barbeque ribs were the best! Since that time he lived in Baudette, MN, Glasgow and Saco, Montana, and most recently Homer, Alaska where his passion for the outdoors was fulfilled with days spent salmon and halibut fishing and watching moose wander through his yard. Paul is survived by his children, Bradley (Heidi) Schafer of Rush City, MN, Jon (Angie) Schafer of Grantsburg, WI, Christine (Troy) Olson of Harris, MN, and their mother Sharon (James) Rahn of Champlin, MN. Granddaughters, Ashley (Brad) Schambaugh, Chelsea Schafer, Taylor Olson, Madison and Megan Schafer. Brother and Sister-in-law, Carl and Rose Schafer of Auburn, IN, Sister, Joanne Towle of Circle Pines, MN and nephews, Delroy Jr, Rodney, and Jody Towle along with many other nieces and nephews. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Carl Schafer Sr. and Irene Schafer, sisters Dorothy and Betty Malmfeldt, and infant daughter Victoria Schafer. Rev. Laurie O’Shea will officiate at a memorial service at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rush City, MN on June 26, 2009 at 1 p.m. with a private interment in Homer, Alaska.