Lifetime Winlock resident David Schaefer will celebrate his 90th birthday with a gathering of friends and family at 1 p.m. Saturday, at the home of his son John, 157 Minkler Road, Winlock.
Schaefer was born in Chehalis on July 12, 1928, and was raised on the family’s 100-acre farm. In spite of some medical setbacks as a child, Schaefer attended school in Winlock and excelled at sports — with a .500 batting average in baseball. A football team photo hung on a wall at Winlock High School for decades.
After high school, David was employed by Weyerhaeuser as a radio communication worker on the railroad.
When a two-year assignment with the U.S. Army in Austria was complete, Schaefer began his career with the Lewis County Public Utility District, working his way up and retiring as a line foreman. During this time, he was married to his wife Rosalie, and welcomed their nine children — Ron, Karen, John, Karl, Jerry, Denise, Don, Mike and Paul.
While working, Schaefer was also active in many organizations and groups throughout the area, many of which he still participates in today. Hew was a Winlock School Board member, a lifetime member of the St. Urban Grange, and has held local, county and state offices in the Grange — allowing him to travel throughout the state attending Grange meetings and conventions.
Schaefer has been a league bowler “forever” and still participates in senior league, as well as weekly pinochle games and other gatherings with friends.
In 1996, David married his wife Chris, and they continue to live and work on the family farm just outside of Winlock. While he isn’t quite as active as he once was, Schaefer still participates in the harvesting of the hay and feeding of the cows on the farm, and eagerly anticipates hunting season each year.
Schaefer was recently honored as a “Good Ol’ Egg” during the annual Egg Day celebration in Winlock.
