Helen Eileen Schaefer

      Helen Eileen (DuBois) Schaefer entered her heavenly home on July 18, 2024, with her five daughters and two of her granddaughters by her side.
    Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Most Holy Trinity Church, Fowler, MI, on Friday, July 26, 2024, at 10:30 A.M., with Rev. Fr. John Whitlock presiding and Rev. Fr. Noah Thelen concelebrating. Burial will take place at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery, Fowler, MI. Visitation will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes – Goerge Chapel, Fowler, on Thursday, July 25, 2024, from 2-8 P.M. with the family present from 2-4 & 6-8 P.M. A Rosary will be prayed Thursday Evening at 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home.
      She was born February 25, 1932 in St. Johns, MI (Ovid Township) to George and Jesse (Welhusen) DuBois. Helen truly loved her life, beginning with her childhood in the country, where she collected eggs and helped her mother tend gardens and serve the farmhands as the only daughter, by far the youngest sibling in her household. Throughout her life she shared treasured stories of family, friends, neighbors, and schoolmates. She attended Sherwood School in Greenbush Township and graduated from St. Johns High School in 1949. She then attended Lansing Business University in Lansing.
      Her first secretarial positions were with the State Highway Department, U.S. Geological Survey, W.T. King Telephone Company, and Leonard Pipeline in Mt. Pleasant. She found her perfect place as secretary at Fowler High School where she worked from 1964-1995. Helen enjoyed working with faculty and students and loved keeping an eye on her daughters and grandchildren while at work.
    She met the love of her life, Adam Schaefer, who she would say she found irresistibly “intriguing” each time she spoke of their courtship years later. They were married at St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing on October 11, 1952. Together, they had five daughters: Michelle (Doug) Taylor of Jonesville (Ben, Josh, Dougie, Nick, Heather, Rebecca, Zach, Kaleb, Dominic, Maria, Holly, Seth, Ephraim, Will, Reuben); Stephanie (Leon) Schneider of Fowler (Shaun, Andrea, Casey, Jesse); Pamela (Brian Feige) Schaefer of Gaines (Ashlynn, Nathaniel); Susan (Bob) Versola of Linden (Nick, Lindsey, Adam, Amellia); Gwendolyn (Rex) Thelen of Grand Haven (Alexandra, Noah, Schaefer, Clara). Helen leaves behind an amazing legacy; 29 grandchildren and 50 great grandchildren, with two more on the way! 
      Helen and Adam lived the first years of marriage in St. Johns, Lansing, and Mount Pleasant. In 1957, they moved to the community of Fowler, where the corner of 4th and Main became their longtime family home. Helen was a big fan of Fowler High School athletics, active in Band Boosters, a member of Most Holy Trinity Church and Christian Mothers. She was an avid MSU fan and learned to love Detroit Tiger baseball solely because it meant more time spent with her husband. She enjoyed summers spent camping with her family at Young State Park, Paradise Lake, Charlevoix, Wilderness and fall color tours in Michigan. During camping trips with her family, Helen would always be seated next to Addie, tapping her foot, and singing along.
     Having grown up on a farm during the Depression, Helen always loved animals (except for a scary bull that chased her once when she was walking home from school). Over her lifetime, she had many cherished pets, most recently her beloved cat, Annie. Having family all over the world, Helen enjoyed traveling as well. She spent a memorable trip in Washington D.C. with her daughter, Susie, son-in-law, Bob, and granddaughter, Mellie.
     Helen was an incredibly gifted quilter and scrapbooker. If you ever visited her, you were treated to a look at her impeccably organized photo albums and scrapbooks. She was always surrounded by memories of her loved ones. Helen created quilts for each of her daughters and grandchildren to mark special occasions, such as graduations, weddings, and births. She also enjoyed flower gardening, reading, word puzzles, playing Kismet, and shopping. She was a talented baker and cook and was known for her inimitable sugar cookies and Scotcheroos. She had a special love for Bismarck donuts and in recent years, would eat one every morning for breakfast.
      Helen spent her last years with the wonderful community of Clinton Commons in St. Johns, where she was in regular attendance at bingo. She was proud to share the candy bars won with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren whenever they visited. There were always candy and sweets on hand for visitors to her home. She has many friends and special memories at Clinton Commons and was so grateful for the relationships formed with angel caregivers Jacie, Diane, and Karla.
      She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Adam Schaefer, her brothers: Richard (Virginia) DuBois and RG (June) DuBois; as well as her brothers and sisters-in-law: Leona and Vern Miller, Agnes and Robert Thurston, Marie and Ken Feldpausch, Leroy and Patricia Schaefer, and two great-grandchildren: Sebastian and Gabriel. She was also blessed with her dear friend and sister by choice, Jean O’Bannon.
     Memorials may be made to Fowler Public Schools Education Fund or Kenzie’s Be Café, 1103 Washington Avenue Grand Haven, MI 49417. Online condolences may be made at www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Goerge Chapel, Fowler, Michigan.