Martha Jean Schaffer's Obituary
Martha Jean Schaffer, age 75, passed away on the morning of August 18, 2017. She was with her husband, and had spent the night surrounded by her family.
Marti was born on April 3, 1942, in St Petersburg, Florida. She grew up there with her family, graduating from Boca Ciega High School in 1960. She then went to college to become a registered nurse, where she met her future husband, Gerald Schaffer. They married in 1964 and moved to Gainesville, where they have remained ever since.
In 1981 she returned to school. Marti attended the University of Florida to pursue a lifelong dream of drawing and painting, and graduated with Honors, obtaining her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Marti was involved with Congregation B’nai Israel, participating as a board member of the temple as well as an officer in Sisterhood.
She will be remembered as an incredible artist, as well as a loving, caring and gentle wife, sister, mother, and grandmother. By example, Marti taught her family and friends how to love and respect others. We were fortunate to be loved by her.
Marti was preceded in death by her father, Joseph B. Henderson, and her mother, Blanche G. Henderson, whom she cared for for many years. She is survived by her husband, Gerald Schaffer, her sister, Gail McKenzie, her sister-in-law, Susan Schaffer, her three children, Sara, Rebecca, and Daniel Schaffer, a niece and three nephews, Molly Lin Schaffer and Brian, Seth, and Sam McKenzie, and her seven grandchildren, Remy, Savannah, Calila, Eli, Brooke, Grant, and Emilia. She was greatly loved by her family and friends.
Funeral services will take place at Congregation B’nai Israel, at eleven in the morning on Monday, August 21, 2017. Interment will follow at B’nai Israel Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine via the following link: http://artsinmedicine.ufhealth.org/about/giving-to-aim/.
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