Sister Anne Schaeffer

Sister Anne Schaeffer died peacefully on October 28, 2022, at the age of 100. She was born Anna Marie Schaeffer in San Francisco on March 29, 1922, to Michael Schaeffer and Johanna Zach, and entered the Sisters of the Holy Family from St. Joseph Parish in San Jose on January 21, 1942 at the age of 19.

Sister Anne spent most of her years in the Holy Family Sisters working with children and families in religious education programs in parishes throughout California and in Reno. From Marin County to the West Bay and coastal areas, to the Pleasant Hill area and northern California, and finally to Fremont, she shared her faith and ministered to families. In addition, she also served in day homes in Reno, San Francisco and San Jose. In 1972 Sister Anne came to the Motherhouse in Mission San Jose where she remained for the next 50 years, serving first in parishes and St. Elizabeth’s Day Home in San Jose, and then in the Sisters’ finance department, before retiring to community ministry.

Sister Anne’s greatest gift was unconditional love, which she lavished on family, visitors, the cottage staff where she lived and all whom she encountered. She loved reading and movies, from Hallmark romances to Knight Rider and Perry Mason. She loved the Vacation Bible Schools she taught in the Half Moon Bay area along the coast, and once she learned to drive, there was no place she would not go. Another favorite activity was paging through the archive’s photo books of all the Sisters, telling stories about the ones she had known. Her sweet disposition was her hallmark, and she is greatly missed.

Sister Anne’s funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 16, in the Sisters’ Oratory. Burial will take place on Tuesday, November 29 at at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma; she will be buried with Sister Georgette Roeder, who passed away on October 1.