On Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, Carl transitioned to his eternal home and is now in the presence of His Lord. Carl’s life goals were to serve God, be a responsible and loving husband, and raise his children to know that they were well loved by him and their Heavenly Father. As his sons, Jeff, Jeremiah and Joshua and his wife, Linda have expressed, he far exceeded his goals.

Carl was born on May 31, 1941, in Buffalo, N.Y. His parents were Carl L. Schaefer Sr. and Winona Felker.

At the age of 18, he joined the ranks of many who selflessly served in the U.S. Navy and after being honorably discharged, he continued his service in the U.S. Department of the Army as a civilian for 22 years.

After retiring from civil service, he became a licensed medical massage therapist and earned a reputation for helping those in pain gain better mobility and freedom. He was humbled by the opportunity to be a partner with clients in reaching their goals for better health and wellness.

Carl was filled with an adventurous spirit and embraced life to the fullest. In the Alaskan frontier, he served as a helicopter mechanic for geological teams and often took part in their expeditions. He earned a commercial pilot’s license, ran an air taxi business and even became a certified scuba diver so he could explore the deep.

Carl had an inquisitive mind and loved learning, reading and researching a wide breadth of topics. He also greatly enjoyed traveling and learning about other cultures and customs. His travels took him to places across the globe including India, Ecuador, Colombia, South Korea and China. Most of which were for exploring opportunities to serve others. He was always willing to help wherever and however he could.

Carl was known for his kindness and sense of humor. He was sure to pass onto his sons the talent of engaging in puns for fun.

In his later years, he never met a stranger. He enjoyed meeting new people and learning from them.

Carl will be missed beyond measure!

Carl is survived by wife Linda; sons Jeff (Shiela) Schaefer, Jeremiah (Yoon) Schaefer and Joshua Schaefer; grandsons David Schaefer and Justin Schaefer; sister-in-law Carol Schaefer; sister Gretchen Hirczak (Al); in-laws Carroll and LaViva Potts; brother-in-law Ryan Potts (Lynne); aunt Ruth Schaefer; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Keith Schaefer.

The family would like to express their gratitude for the compassionate and outstanding care provided by the wonderful professional staff at Hospice House.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, at Christ the King Anglican Church, 2103 E. Mission Ave., Spokane.

Please visit Carl’s online memorial at www.stratefuneralhome.com.