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L. Reed Schaeffer

L. Reed Schaeffer, 83, of Ford City, PA, passed away on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.

He was born March 22, 1941 in Plumcreek Township to the late Martha Elizabeth (Prugh) Schaeffer and Lawrence Francis Schaeffer. He lived his entire life in Burrell Township on the land that had been Schaeffer land since 1806.

Reed graduated from Ford City Junior Senior High School in 1959 and worked briefly for Dawson Schall Welding. In April of 1962, he joined the Kittanning Telephone Company as a lineman, and worked for the company as it changed names through Windstream, retiring as an installer-repairman in 2002. For 35 years, he served as a union officer.

After his retirement from the telephone company, he became interested in antique tractors and spent his winters restoring Allis-Chalmers G's; Farmall Cubs and Farmall BN; and a John Deere B. The most prized restoration was his father's F-14. During the summers, he went to many shows and parades and took tractors as far as Alabama, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, New York, and Connecticut. There are many trophies to attest to his careful attention to detail in restoration.

For 15 years, he organized and managed the Burrell Township VFD tractor ride. It had grown from a handful of tractor-drivers to having about 60 tractors with wagons and many passengers - one of the largest in Western Pennsylvania.

Locally, he was a member of the St. Michael Evangelical Lutheran Church where he served in a variety of roles. He served many terms on Council; took great responsibility for fixing things; and was Treasurer from 1971 through 2019. His most significant service was in co-leading a volunteer force to build the "new" building in 1980 and the addition in 1992. St. Michael's building is all on one floor with great attention to accessibility.

He is survived by his wife, Linda (Morrison) Schaeffer, whom he married July 30, 1966. They have one daughter, Sara Schaeffer-Alsop who lives in Poway, CA with husband Stefan and children, Logan Elizabeth Alsop, Colin Stefan Alsop, Tyler Reed Alsop, and Eli Anthony Alsop. Reed's greatest joys in life centered around his family. He especially enjoyed "spoiling" those four grandchildren who have many visits to the farm in Burrell Township.

Reed was preceded in death by his father Lawrence Schaeffer in 1994; his mother Martha Schaeffer in 1997; and his sister, Lois Houser in 2020.

Friends will be received from 2-4 and 6-8 PM on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024 at the Clark Chapel of the Bauer Funeral Home, Inc., 238 S. Main Street Elderton, PA.

Additional visitation will be from 10 AM until the time of funeral services at 11 AM on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 at St. Michael's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2264 Garretts Run Rd., Ford City, PA, with the Rev. Barbara Love officiating.

Interment will be in Brick Church Cemetery, Ford City, PA.

Contributions can be sent in Reed's memory to Burrell Township Volunteer Fire Department, 108 Cochrans Mill Road, Ford City, PA 16226.

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