- Date Of Birth: January 30, 1919
- Date Of Death: January 27, 2007
- State: Michigan
Herbert “Unk” Schaffer
Oscoda, MI, formerly of Portland, MI
Herbert Churchill Schaffer, age 87, of Oscoda passed away Saturday, January 27, 2007 at his home. He was born January 30, 1919 in Portland, MI, the son of Helen B. and Herbert L. Schaffer. He graduated from Portland High School and attended Michigan State College where he was a member of the Spartan football team. Two of Herb’s big thrills during World War II were playing football in 1942 for the Fort Knox Armor Raiders and secondly, seeing Pope Pius XII while serving in Italy with the 760 Tank Battalion. He married the late Mary Jane Thrall on August 7, 1942, and returned to Portland to live after being discharged from the Army in 1945. Here he was employed by the U.S. Post Office for 30 years, first as a clerk, then as a carrier. He was one of the first city mail carriers in Portland. Always interested in sports, he helped organize the first little league baseball teams in Portland, was the first president of the St. Patrick Athletic Association, introducing football, track and golf at that school. In 2003 he was inducted into the Portland High School Hall of Fame for achievements in football in 1936. His nickname was “Unk”. Herb moved to Greenbush in 1978 and married Helen Flynn in 1981. He was active in the Oscoda St. Vincent dePaul Society and the Oscoda FISH program for many years. Besides his interest in sports, he enjoyed bowling, golfing and especially doing something to help someone. Herbert was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He is survived by his wife Helen; his three children, James (Mary) of Grand Rapids, MI, Stephan (Deborah) of Lakeland, FL, and Mary Frances VanOstran of Dimondale, MI; 5 stepchildren, Scott Flynn of Tawas City, Michael (Nancy) Flynn of Harrisville, Constance (David) Hales of Caledonia, Virginia (Jeffrey) Harrington of Holland and Christina (Kevin) Everitt of Farwell; 8 grandchildren, 13 step grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and 2 step grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Mary Jane, his brother Richard Schaffer, and his sisters Marian Frantz, Frances Esch and Margaret Jane Smith.
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