Duke Schaeffer's Obituary
Duke Schaeffer, 75, of Fisherville died peacefully at Baptist Reynolds Hospice House on Friday July 14th after a long and courageous 18 year struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. Duke was born in Capleville to Martha Randolph Schaeffer and Joe Henry Schaeffer and was the youngest of eight children. He attended Whitehaven High, graduated from Murphy High in Mobile AL and the University of Memphis with a BBA degree in real estate. Duke was involved in the automobile business, municipal bonds and in 1973 founded Duke Schaeffer Realty where he bought, sold and developed land in eastern Shelby and Fayette County. He loved to walk land and just had a gift of enthusiasm and vision of land’s potential. Although he had a degree in business and real estate, he remarked many times that much of what he needed to know about the business world he learned at his dad’s country store in Capleville. Duke was a member of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors and was named a Realtor Emeritus in 2013. He was a former member of Germantown Kiwanis, Collierville Republican Club, Fisherville Civic Club, Memphi Carnival Krewe, Memphis Emmaus Community and a charter member of the Rotary Club of Memphis East and was named a Paul Harris Fellow. Duke served in both the Tennessee Army and Air Force National Guard. He was an active member of Christ United Methodist Church, the Men’s Prayer Breakfast and his beloved Lamplighters Sunday School Class.Duke loved his family, friends, land and his church. In many ways, he was larger than life, consumed the oxygen in any room and loved to tell stories and laugh. He was a man’s man with a tender heart and a generous spirit. He is preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter, brothers Joe Schaeffer Jr. and Gene Schaeffer and sister Kittye MacNeille. Duke is survived by his loving and dedicated wife of 45 years, Suzanne Hansbrough Schaeffer, daughter Suzanne “Suzie” Dixon(David) of Oxford MS, son Andrew Duke Schaeffer(Barbara) of Memphis, beloved grandsons Knox Dixon and Schaeffer Holt Dixon who called him PopPop, brother Milton T. Schaeffer of Germantown, sisters Dorothy Vawter of Mobile AL, Martha Coleman of Pickwick, Betty Carasso of Olive Branch MS and a host of Schaeffer nieces, nephews and cousins.Visitation at Memorial Park Funeral Home on Poplar on Saturday, July 15 from 4-7pm, a private burial at Memorial Park for immediate family and the Schaeffer family on Sunday, July 16 at noon at Memorial Park. Visitation at Christ Methodist Church on Sunday, July 16 at 1 pm and the funeral and Celebration of Life to follow at 2 pm in the sanctuary.The entire Schaeffer family thanks you for your support and prayers over the years and request that any memorials may be sent to Christ United Methodist Church of Memphis, Church Health Center or the Baptist Reynolds Hospice House of Collierville.
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