Charlene was born on September 11, 1935, in Winchester, VA to Dorothy Virginia Grimm and Ralph Charles Grimm. On September 7, 1957, she married Benjamin Keith Schaeffer of Johnson City, TN, a 1956 Graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, whom she had met and fallen in love with in Cape May, NJ.
Charlene was a 1958 Graduate of Madison College (JMU) in Harrisonburg, VA, with a BA in Home Economics. She loved to cook and experiment with recipes. She also had a keen eye for style and enjoyed doing a variety of arts and crafts, from flowers to fabrics.
Charlene and Ben enjoyed living many places during his tours of duty which included: San Francisco, CA (where all three of her children were born); Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines; Port Angeles, WA; Chicago, IL; Cape May, NJ; Savannah, GA; New Orleans, LA; Kodiak, AK; and Cleveland, OH.
In 1993 she and Ben moved to Sugarmill Woods in Homosassa, FL to enjoy the multiple opportunities for sun, golf, friends and family. Charlene was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Crystal River. She was devoted to God and Church and passed on that love to family through her words and actions.
Charlene was preceded in death by her husband Ben, father, Ralph, mother, Dorothy, and brother, David Grimm. She is survived by her, daughter Valerie Sarrett (John) of Richmond, VA, sons; Karl Schaeffer (Beth) of Harrisonburg, VA, and Kenneth Schaeffer of Florence, KY, grandsons; Kory and Kristian Schaeffer of Harrisonburg, step-grandsons; Mead, Jack and Scott Sarrett of Richmond, brother Ronald Grimm (Jan) of Sumter, SC, sister Sharon Wright of Winchester, VA, and other extended family including many loving nieces, nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews.
A Memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, September 28, in the Chapel at the Monte Vista Funeral Home and Cemetery in Johnson City, TN., officiated by Pastor Scott Thompson, and preceded by a viewing beginning at 1:30.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Charlene V. Schaeffer, to the “Food Pantry” at the First Presbyterian Church of Crystal River (1501 SE Highway 19, Crystal River, FL 34429), or to Vitas Hospice C/O Vitas Healthcare, P.O. Box 1330, Lecanto, FL 34460.
