Raymond Frederick Schaaf, Lt. Col. US Air Force, Ret., passed away on December 17, 2018 at the age of 93. He was born on April 24, 1925 in Durango, Colorado. He was a graduate of Durango High School. He began his military career when he joined the Army Air Corp on June 3, 1943 after he turned 18 years old. Fifteen months later he was assigned to the 534th Bomb Squadron and 381st Bomb Wing 8th Air Force, flying combat over Germany. He served as a Tech Sergeant in the European Theater of Operations during World War II with the 8th Air Force, earning four Battle Stars. Following WWII he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and then proceeded through to the rank of Lt. Colonel. His primary specialty through the years was petroleum officer. He completed his service at Headquarters S.A.C., flying on the Looking Glass as the material officer. He graduated from the appropriate military schools. Among his many decorations and awards are the Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, the 2nd Air Force Commendation Medal, CTO Medal with 4 Battle Stars, American Defense Medal, Legion of Merit Presidential Citation, Army Good Conduct, National Defense American Campaign WWII Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, and Air Force Small Arms Expert. He retired in 1970 after serving 26 ½ years of honorable military duty to his country. He was a WWII Air Force Veteran B17 bombardier. He was a lifetime member of WJ Nixon Masonic Lodge in Smithville, a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of the American Legion. He was a traveler, a painter, a knife maker, a gunsmith, and a person of many trades.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 60+ years, Marjorie; two grandsons, Corey and Pat Schaaf; parents, Edith and Alvin Schaaf; and brothers and sister Ernie, Harold, Melvin and Marge.
He is survived by his children, Troy and Theresa Schaaf, Daniel and Sue Schaaf, Karla and Alex Lopez, and Kimberly and Victor Von Zur Muehler; grandchildren, Evan Von Zur Muehler, Heath and Sunnie Schaaf, Krysta and Chris Adams, Eric and Michelle Lopez, and Beth and James Reeves; fifteen great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and one sister-in-law, Peryl Schaaf. He is also survived by his dearest friend, companion, and travelling partner, Carolyn Robinson Stark, and his dear friends who are also family - Susan and Glenn George, Will and Amy Flanigin, Samantha Flanigin, Austin George, Matthew, Korrie, and Sagan George, and Luke, Addison and Payton George.
The family will receive guests for a time of visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 22, 2018 at Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home in Georgetown, Texas, with a funeral service to begin at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. Interment with military honors will follow at I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Georgetown, Texas.
