John Anthony Schaefer

John A. Schaefer was born on December 1, 1927 at St. Catherine’s Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. He was the first born of six children to the late Anthony J. Schaefer and Imogene Schaefer (need Johnson). At the age of 16 he enlisted in the U.S. Merchant Marines and worked on the Liberty Ship S.S. Simon Willard where he sailed with a convoy of ships to Europe.

After his tour of duty, he moved to Maryland where he later opened up Schaefer’s Highway Inn on Old North Point Road, which is currently Costa’s Inn. While at Schaefer’s he met his wife Joanna. Together the pair visited New Hope, PA to look at a tent theater in Lambertville which lead to them opening the Rosecroft Music Circus at the Rosecroft Raceway in Oxon Hill, MD. He also had a long career as a Baltimore City Councilman from 1971 to 1991.

Once he retired from the council John purchased several thoroughbred racehorses which raced at Pimlico and Laurel. He was passionate about horseracing, but his first passion was his family. He was the devoted father of Lisa Joanne Miles and her husband Irvin C. Miles, Joyce Lynn Schreiber and her husband Robert G. Schreiber Sr., Pamela McLaughlin and her husband James McLaughlin Sr., Robin Schaefer, Gregory Schaefer, and the late John Schaefer Jr., cherished son of the Late Anthony John Schaefer Sr. and Imogene Johnson, dear brother of Charles Schaefer, Jeannie Puglia, the late Hazel Peach, Ann “Babe” Glover, Anthony J. Schaefer Jr., loving grandfather of Lauren A. Miles, Brittany N. Filling, Allison J. Vega, Bobby Schreiber Jr., Brooke E. Smithson, Dawn Petrovia, James McLaughlin Jr., Guston McGovert, Chelsea Cresta, Stephen Schaefer, Samantha Schaefer, and Lucas Schaefer, and the caring great grandfather of Zoey, Conor, Miles, Emma, Elizabeth, Pasquale Jr., Giovani, Alexis, Cameron, Becket, and Isabella.

On August 1,2021, he peacefully passed away at the age of 93 surrounded by his family.

All services are private.