Florence Schaffert

Florence J Schaffert, 91, of Ogallala, NE formerly of the Maywood area, died September 14, 2017 at Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant, NE.

Florence was born on April 7, 1926 to Jessie and Elmer Russell on a farm near Wallace, Nebraska.  Florence lived on the farm with her four sisters, Lois, Berdean, Annabelle, Beryl and her brother Frank until 1935 when her Dad, Elmer died from strokes. Her Dad was 25 years older than her Mother.  Her Mother moved the family into Wallace in a three room house without running water.
Florence finished the 4th grade in the Wallace Public School and her Mother, Jessie died from the flu and pneumonia in 1936.  At the age of 9 Florence and her sister’s age 6 and 12 were without a Mother or Father.  Several people offered to adopt the girls individually. By this time the older siblings, Frank, Lois and Berdean were married and each took one of the girls.  Florence started out living with her sister Lois and going to a country school. After a year, she moved in with her older brother Frank and his wife Mary.  By the time she was 14 years old she moved back in with her older sister Lois and her husband Harold who lived on a farm near Kimball, Nebraska.  Florence was in the 8th grade when she attended a small country school with only one other student. That fall she stayed with her sister Lois in-laws in Kimball and started high school in Kimball, Nebraska.
After the 9th grade she moved back to Wallace and moved in with her sister, Annabell and her husband, Herbie and got a job that summer.  World War II was during this time and when her brother-in-law Herbie got drafted into the army, Florence, at the age of 16 moved to Wellfleet, NE to stay with her sister Berdean.  While attending a dance in Wellfleet she met a young man by the name of Marvin “Bud” Schaffert and that was the beginning of their courtship.  Nine months later Bud and Florence were married in April 1943 at the courthouse in North Platte, Nebraska. They had a son, Harry and two daughters Elaine and Charlotte. They lived on the Schaffert family farm in Hayes County where a son and daughter were born and they farmed for nine years before moving to Curtis in 1952 where a daughter was born. Around 1954 they moved to Sidney and in 1956 they packed everything into a trailer pulled by their car and traveled to the Seattle, Washington area where her husband Bud worked for Boeing Aircraft.
Around 1958 they missed their home in the Midwest and moved to Colorado and later to Maywood Nebraska where Bud worked for Bullock Hardware.  In 1966, her son Harry (Wilma) and Bud (Florence) started up their own business Hi-line Plumbing and Electric. Florence was involved in the business and worked in the store on many days.  Later Harry left the business got a job with the US Postal Service. Florence and Bud continued the business for many years and sold the business in 1983.  They continued to enjoy their retirement years in Maywood until 1996 when they moved to Ogallala to be closer to their daughter, Elaine.
Florence said she didn’t know how to cook when she got married, but she learned and she was outstanding cook. She canned a lot of fruits and veggies over the years.   She really loved to cook and clean house. Later in life she started making beautiful quilts which all her children and grandkids enjoy. She will be remembered for her wonderful meals and beautiful quilts.
Florence was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin, parents, Jessie and Elmer Russell and her brothers and sisters. Surviving are her son Harry (Wilma) Schaffert of Lincoln, daughters Elaine (Don) Eggert of Lemoyne and Charlotte Jones of Grand Jct, CO; six grandchildren - Tammy (Stacy) Mittlestaedt, Mike (Patty) Eggert, James (Latrice) Eggert, Scott (Adrienne) Tirrill, Tyson (Michelle) Schaffert, and Shawn (Mary) Schaffert, 7 great grandchildren; along with numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

Memorial services will be held at Maywood United Methodist Church, Ash & Plum, Maywood, NE, Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 2:30 pm.

Interment will follow in the Maywood Cemetery, Maywood, Nebraska.

Memorials are suggested to the Maywood Methodist Church, PO Box 87, Maywood NE 69038.