A Celebration of Life Service for Joan Schafer, age 81, of Windom, will be held Saturday, May 2nd at 11:00 AM at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Windom. Burial will be in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery in Windom.

A visitation for Joan will be held on Saturday, May 2nd from 9:30 to 11:00 AM at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Windom.

Memorials in Joan's name are preferred to the St. Mary's School in Worthington, Windom Area Sharing Center or the donor's choice.

Joan Margaret (Haberman) Schafer was born on September 14, 1944, to Luverne and Margaret (Haworth) Haberman in Windom, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Windom. Joan attended Windom Public Schools and graduated with the Class of 1962. She continued her education at Mankato State University, where she earned her bachelor's degree, and later at Southwest State University in Marshall, where she received her master's degree in education.

Joan dedicated 39 years to her role as an elementary school teacher at St. Mary's Catholic Grade School, where she loved nurturing and teaching young students. After retiring, she continued to share her passion for education by working in the public school system, teaching ESL, adult education, and serving as a substitute teacher until recently.

Joan was united in marriage to the love of her life, Gerald "Jerry" Schafer on December 26, 1964. and together they were blessed with four children: Jyll, David, Jayne, and Jana.

Joan was known for her kindness and generosity. You could always rely on her to hem a pair of pants, make you feel special with a birthday cake, or step in to help family, friends, or even strangers. Her most admirable traits were her deep love for others, especially children, and her incredible work ethic.

Joan was a member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Windom where she was a eucharistic minister. She enjoyed many hobbies, including pickleball, golf, bean bags, line dancing, judging 4-H fair projects and school invention conventions, and mowing the lawn.

Joan Schafer passed away on Sunday, April 26th at Windom Area Health in Windom.

She is survived by her husband, Jerry Schafer of Windom; her children: Jyll McGrew of Mankato, David (Kelly) Schafer of Bloomington, Jayne (Jess) Brynjulson of Tucson, Arizona, and Jana Endreson of Mankato; her grandchildren: Vincent McGrew, Cassidy Woodward, Emelia Schafer, Larissa Schafer, Brenna Schafer, Toni Celestine, Dallas Brynjulson, Isaac Endreson, and Hannah Endreson, and three great grandchildren; her siblings: Jean Hoppe of Windom and Jackie (Terry) Jurgens of Windom; her sister-in-law, Jean Haberman of Mountain Lake; and her brothers-in-law, Terry Jurgens of Windom.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Luverne and Margaret Haberman; her brother, Jerry Haberman; her parents-in-law, Paul and Hannah Schafer; her brothers-in-law, Don Hoppe, Herb Schafer, Robert Schafer, Paul Schafer Jr., and Arnold Schafer; and her sisters-in-law, Lillian Jacobson, Dorothy Gilbert, and Mary Ann Haberman.