Leanna Sue Schafer

Passed away peacefully July 24, 2024, in Spokane WA. Leanna was born December 22, 1946, in Spokane WA to Ralph and Idella (Wolfe) Hofmann.

Leanna grew up on the family farm in Plaza, WA. Being the third of four girls born to a

farmer she was expected to help with the farm work. All the Hofmann girls wound up helping their dad. Some of Leanna’s fondest childhood memories included riding horses with her dad to bring in the cows and having her cousin’s visit on the weekends to ride. Her father was a true “horseman “and Leanna inherited that trait. Her love and assistance for people and animals who could not defend or speak for themselves was part and parcel of who she was.

That compassionate heart led her to Deaconess School of Nursing following graduation from Liberty High School in 1965. During her nursing school years Leanna joined a Christian Fellowship Collegiate group and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. All who knew her knew she “walked that walk” the rest of her life. After getting her RN degree, Leanna and a few friends attended a month-long Bible Seminar in Norway. That group then explored other countries in Europe, seeing more castles than they thought existed. Returning home Leanna worked for Deaconess Hospital in the ICU unit for 2 years.

Leanna and Keith Schafer were married June 2, 1973, in Spokane WA at Fourth

Memorial Church. Their son George was born February 29, 1980. Luckily George inherited his mom’s athletic ability and mom and dad enjoyed following George around to all his games. Many good times with his teammates and their families were a highlight. Leanna was a soft-spoken woman EXCEPT when a basketball referee called a foul on George!

Keith and Leanna farmed together as a team for over 50 years. She was the best truck driver Keith ever had and was chief cook and bottle washer for the help that lived with Keith and Leanna during the summer months. Her cousin Allan Kernkamp and brother-in-law Ed Fleming became special family during {and after} that time. Leanna also worked as a nurse at Odessa Memorial Hospital for over 20 years. She developed lifelong friends with both employees and patients during that time.

Leanna had an excellent singing voice-she and her sisters were known as “The Lennon

Sisters of Plaza!” She sang in our church choir and community cantatas. Leanna loved gardening and developed a passion for quilting and sharing quilt retreats with friends were special times. Keith and Leanna were privileged to do a bit of traveling with friends Larry and Claudia Iverson. Wintertime cruises, island adventures and thawing out in the Iverson’s abode in Casa Grande remain as enduring memories. A fall trip to the New England states and Cuba when it was opened were also special. Leanna, her sisters Karen and Lorinda also traveled to Australia and New Zealand, leaving their husbands to fend for themselves. The less said about that the better. Keith and Leanna are/were farmers. Many of today’s farmers stand on the shoulders of grandparents and parents who preceded them. As a team Keith and Leanna were the recipients of that legacy from both sides of their families. And whatever success achieved was due in no small measure to landlords Jerry and Ellen Schafer, who allowed Keith and Leanna to care for their land for 45 plus years. Former and current employees have added to that success. Tom and Gwen Clavel and sons Brian and Nick, and Pam Suchland have worked for Keith and Leanna for over 20 years. Brad, Cathie and Brice Fredrick have worked for Keith and Leanna as well.

We are so grateful to them, not only for their work, but for their support during Leanna’s illness. About 10 years ago Leanna started showing signs of dementia. The change was so subtle and over a length of time it seemed like “just normal signs of aging”. That changed drastically over the last 2 years, her going from being a mentally sharp, athletic, physically hard-working woman, to being unable to walk, talk or feed herself. Dementia. A friend has described dementia as “Death by a thousand cuts,” and it felt true for both both Keith and Leanna

The saving grace in all this has been our sustaining faith. Sometimes “only when the

storm rages do we know the strength of the Anchor.” Another part of that sustaining grace has been the wonderful help and care Leanna and Keith received from family, friends and from caregivers Senior Helpers (Patti, Elaine, Tajha, Domnika and Lynn Mason} and the skilled nursing staff at Rockwood Retirement. They have all taken the Biblical admonition “as you have done for the least of these” as their life’s reason for being.

WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service for Leanna will be held on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Christ Lutheran Church in Odessa WA. A service at Rockwood Retirement is pending.

She is survived by her husband Keith and their son George, sisters, Karen (Bert) Smith, and Lorinda Hofmann. She was predeceased by her parents Ralph and Idella Hofmann and her sister Vicki and Ed Fleming.

For those wishing to honor Leanna’s memory, in lieu of flowers donations are requested in her name to: Odessa Healthcare Foundation (PO Box 368, Odessa WA 99159), Christ Lutheran Church (PO Box 400, Odessa WA 99159), Dementia Society of America (PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901) or the charity of your choice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.strate-funeral.com for the Schafer family. STRATE FUNERAL HOME, DAVENPORT, WA are caring for the family.