Geneva Schaeffer

Services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at the First Baptist Church of Canyon with Paul Kenley officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at Brooks Chapel. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery. Geneva Schaeffer went home to the Lord on Sunday, April 17, 2016. She was born in Childress, Texas on June 17, 1933 to Bruce and Lillian Gressett. She was married to Stanley Schaeffer on June 22, 1951. Geneva was a loving wife to Stanley for 65 years, dedicated mother to her children and the greatest "Mammy" to all the grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a dear friend and a partner in crime to Helen Piehl. She was also a friend and mentor to untold others. Geneva was distinguished alumna of West Texas A&M University and very dedicated to seeing the university grow and serve the Panhandle. She attended elementary school in Canyon, TX on the campus of West Texas State Teachers College and went on to earn her Bachelor degree from West Texas. She earned her Master of Education degree in reading and assessment from Colorado State College. In April of this year, she was given an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in the College of Education at West Texas A&M University. Throughout her life, Geneva was committed to excellence in public school education and higher education. She taught in public schools for 17 years, then spent the years after that pushing for improvement and opportunities in education, with a focus on WTAMU and scholarship opportunities for students in the Texas Panhandle. Geneva's philanthropic efforts through the years have focused on excellence in education, leadership development and the support of high quality youth programs. Her dedication has been recognized by numerous entities including the 2006 Outstanding Philanthropist by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Texas Panhandle Distinguished Service Award from the Amarillo Area Women's Forum, the Golden Nail Award for support of the arts by the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce and the WTAMU Old Main Society Pinnacle Award in 2005. Geneva served on the boards of the WTAMU Foundation, Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, Samaritan Pastoral Counseling Center, Opportunity School and others. She was a founding board member of the Amarillo Area Foundation's Women's Philanthropy Fund and a founding member of the WTAMU Women's Council. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bruce and Lillian Gressett, and a grandson, Shawn Schaeffer. Survivors include her husband, Stanley Schaeffer, of Amarillo; three children, Jackie Byrnes and husband, Stan, of Dimmitt, David Schaeffer and wife, Sherry, of Dimmitt, and Jerry Schaeffer and wife, Buffie, of Happy; seven grandchildren, Rala Underwood and husband, Jason, Shanna Schaeffer, Shalyn Hamlin and husband, Jason, Ashley Berryhill and husband, Jayson, Texi Schaeffer, Farmer Schaeffer, and Hondo Schaeffer; seven great-grandchildren, Faith, Schaeffer, Bishop, Josiah, Benjamin, Adeline, and Harrison; and five siblings, Bobbye Horn and husband, Thurman, Joan Meason and husband, John, June Porter and husband, Vaughn, Johnny Gressett and wife, Linda, and Jamey Gressett and wife, Candy. The family suggests memorials be to the Geneva Schaeffer Scholarship in Education, in care of the WTAMU Foundation, WT Box 60766, Canyon, TX 79016.