OCILLA - Dr. Ronald L. Schaffer, 77, of Ocilla died Friday, Sept. 19, 2014, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Waterloo Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday before the service. Dr. Schaffer was born on Aug. 8, 1937, in Kansas City, Kan. to the late Roland D. Schaffer and Ethel Eckoff Schaffer Rivers and was raised in Jacksonville, Fla. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving during the Korean Conflict. Shortly after his discharge from the service, he married his wife of 57 years, Martha Ann Raines. Dr. Schaffer earned his Doctorate of Philosophy degree at Louisiana Baptist University, originally called Baptist Christian University in Shreveport, La. Along with his many years of ministry, he, along with his wife, founded Hope Children's Home in Tampa, Fla. Along with his family, his ministry was always the focus of his life. Dr. Schaffer is survived by his wife, Martha Ann Raines Schaffer of Ocilla; three sons and daughters-in-law, Danny and Mary Schaffer of Ocilla, Jesse and Teresa Schaffer of Tampa, Fla. and Al and Alice Schaffer of Land-O-Lakes, Fla.; a daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Robert Rexroth of Indiana; a brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Carol Schaffer of Jacksonville, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Summer and Will Holt, Erika Lee, Paige and Thomas Klingel, Emma Schaffer, Mallory Schaffer and Allie Schaffer, Ashlee Rexroth and Austin Rexroth; and seven great-grandchildren, Dacee, Hailee, Willow, Scout Alyandra, Aivan and Finn. You may sign the guest registry at www.albritton-beaumontfuneralhome.com. Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.

Published on September 23, 2014