Rosemary A Schafer

Rosemary A. Schafer, 81, of Natrona Heights, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital in Pittsburgh, following several years of chronic illness. She was born Feb. 14, 1934, in Brackenridge, the daughter of the late Joseph W. and Edna (Dusko) Zimmerman. She graduated from Har-Brack High School in 1951, and later received a certificate in Commercial Art from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She also completed a secretarial course at Duff's Business Institute. She began working as a commercial artist in Pittsburgh in the early 1950's and later spent 14 years as a claims and accounting employee at General Motors' Motors Insurance Corporation in the Bloomfield section of Pittsburgh and later at RIDC Park. She was briefly married in the 1950's and with her second husband in the 1970's and 80's, operated a bar/restaurant in Lower Burrell. Rosemary loved reading and was an aspiring writer from the early age, successfully publishing two gothic romance novels for a major paperback publisher in the 1970's. She fulfilled a lifelong dream by travelling with her daughter, Jill, to Europe in 1970, sightseeing England, France, Austria and West Germany. Rosemary was once an active volunteer in local organizations, including the Alle-Kiski Historical Society, the Alle-Kiski Literacy Council, where she taught reading, and the Alle-Kiski Library Association, where she originated the designs for the first few entries in their collectable wooden village series. She enjoyed playing piano, crafts, puzzles and board games, drawing and painting, playing cards and bingo and collecting and designing fashions for celebrity paper dolls of the screen era. She was also an enthusiastic participant in local adult spelling bees. She was a member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Tarentum. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, James G. Schaffer, and by her eldest grandson, Ronald S. Mruk Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Jill L. Crawford (formerly Mruk); a grandson, Joseph G. Mruk; and Dusko family members. Graveside services will be private in Mt. Airy Cemetery, Natrona Heights. Arrangements are by DUSTER FUNERAL HOME INC., 347 E. Tenth Ave., Tarentum, 724-224-1526. The family suggests memorial contributions may be made in Rosemary's name to the Western Pennsylvania Make-A-Wish foundation. Visit: www.dusterfuneralhomeinc.com.Published in The Valley News Dispatch on Sept. 16, 2015