Obituary of Sam Schaerer

Sam Henry Schaerer passed away at the age of 95 on January 21, 2016 in Memphis, TN. Sam was born on August 31, 1920 in Nashville, TN to his parents, William Henry Crawford and Ethel Hillis Crawford. After the death of his mother a year later, Sam was adopted by his Aunt Georgia Hillis Schaerer and Uncle Sol E. Schaerer, of Tracy City, TN. Sam graduated from Grundy County High School in 1939 and moved to California in 1941 to work for Lockheed Aircraft. In 1943, during WWII, Sam joined the U.S. Navy and retired from service as a 20-year veteran, class E-6. During his early naval training at Navy Pier in Chicago, IL, he met Marie Pfeifer. They were married in 1946. In 1960 the Schaerer family moved to Fort Myers, FL and built the Lake Lawn Par 3 Golf Course. In 1969 Sam became the owner of a Mister Donut shop and worked there until his retirement in 1981. Sam raised his family in Florida, but always returned to his home in Tracy City every summer for over 50 years. He will be laid to rest in the Tracy City cemetery. He will be remembered as a loving husband, a tireless provider for his family and a man who never knew a stranger. He loved the Lord, his family and Braves baseball! His stories of growing up in Tracy, his adventures in the Navy and his varied career were never ending and will live on in the hearts and minds of his children, grandkids, and great grandkids for many years to come. Sam is survived by his wife of 69 years, Marie Pfeifer Schaerer; his two sons, Ronald E. (Becki) Schaerer of Dallas, TX and Bryan Hillis (Cheryl) Schaerer of Tracy City, TN; his two daughters, GeorgiAnn (Tom) Brown of Memphis, TN and Julie Marie (Jim) Seckman of Decatur, GA; eight grandchildren- Eric, Jessica, Jennifer, Jarrett, Michael, Whitnie, Jacob and Joshua; nine great grandchildren - Chase, Kelsi, Jatin, Alyssa, Lola, Audrey, Allison, Sophie and Jonathan. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Ruth Inez Crawford. A celebration of Sam's life will be held on January 30, 2016 at Foster & Lay Funeral Home in Tracy City. Visitation will begin at 12 noon with a service at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ladies Memorial Association of Tracy City, P.O. Box 1175 Tracy City, TN 37387.