Lila was born March 15, 1929 to William (Bill) and Esther (Berndt) Hebner at their farm near Avon.  She attended rural Giedd School and Avon High School. She married Junior Schaefer, December 15, 1946 and they farmed near Avon until 1994.  During her years in Avon, she worked at Harmacek’s Grocery and Locker, North Vue Convenience Store, and Avon Enterprises. They were blessed with three children, June, Carl, and Amy.

A very important part of her life was her husband Junior, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.  Lila was a great cook and loved cooking and baking for the family. She cherished visits from her grandchildren and extended family and liked taking them on hikes, playing games, and telling them imaginative bedtime stories or tales about growing up in South Dakota. Lila enjoyed sewing, quilting, gardening, reading, polka dancing with Junior, playing games, crossword puzzles, game shows and Western music.

Junior and Lila were members of Zion Lutheran Church at Avon, Our Saviors Lutheran Church at Custer, and she is a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Pierre.

After selling the farm in 1994, they were Campground Hosts for the Corps of Engineers along the Missouri River at Yankton for six summers.  The winters were spent in Apache Junction, AZ.  While there they visited their children in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Camp Verde, and Cottonwood, AZ.  In 2000 they moved to Custer, SD.  They enjoyed their time in the beautiful Black Hills, with all the wildlife and South Dakota history, and being near their daughters who had moved back to Rapid City and Pierre.

In 2010 due to Junior’s failing health, they moved to Parkwood, an Independent Living apartment in Pierre, SD.  There they made new friends with staff and residents and Lila founded a popular dominos club that played almost daily.

Lila is survived by her children, June (Ken) Ulrich, Pierre, SD, Carl (Marsha Bame) Schaefer, Camp Verde, AZ, and Amy (Otto) Bochman, Rapid City, SD.  Grandchildren Brandon (Sonja Winkler) Ulrich, Budapest, Hungary and Wurzburg, Germany, Emily (Todd) Kraft, Rapid City, SD, Erica (Charley) West, Cottonwood, AZ, and Christopher (Kim Sutherland) Schaefer, Cottonwood, AZ.  Great grandchildren Damen Kraft, Timmothy (Lynn Eaves), Mickayla (Hazen Jarrard), Savannah, and Layne West, Jack Weems, Micah and Ethan Schaefer.  Great-great grandchildren Braxton and Layton West, Teagan Leilani Jarrard. Sisters-in-law:Eloise Schaefer, Betty Strohfus, Shirley (Keith) Jurrens. Brothers-in-law Nilus Schaefer, Larry Schaefer, many nieces, nephews, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Junior Schaefer in 2011, her parents Bill and Esther Hebner, sister and brother-in-law Norma and Robert Sullivan, sisters and brothers-in-law: Raymond Schaefer, Lavern and Verna Berndt, Margene Schaefer and Sharon Schaefer.

Lila will be remembered for her love of family, kindness, and especially her giving nature.  She was the epitome of a grandma to all her grandkids, no matter their age. She always had a welcoming home with a loving embrace. All her grandkids have their own unique wonderful memories of her and their times together. Even though miles separated most of the kids and grandkids and her, she still always found a way to make them feel special and loved.

A celebration of life will be held on a later date at the Zion Lutheran Church in Avon, SD.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Avera@Home 800 E. Dakota, Pierre, SD 57501.

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