Nina Elsie Schaffert

NINA ELSIE SCHAFFERT

REMEMBERING NINA

What was it like for families after the stock market crash of 1929? For most people, it meant doing without and a great deal of struggle.

When Nina was just a toddler, she got into her mothers sewing basket, got a pair of scissors. When she tried to run with it, she fell and injured one of her eyes.
Through the years her parents, Everett Smith and Flossie Peterson, made sacrifices necessary to see that Nina graduated from Janesville High School in Janesville, Florida. Nina graduated in 1947.
About three years later she moved to Tampa, Florida, and then married Frank Wicks, on February 18, 1950. John was born while they resided in Tampa, Florida.
In 1952 they moved to Olympia, Washington, where their son Ronald was born. She was kept very busy with the task of raising the boys and especially John. Nina was an outstanding ''domestic engineer,'' and a great cook.
After the marriage ended in divorce with Frank Wicks in 1961, Nina had the responsibility of raising the children by herself.
After meeting and following the courtship, she married Homer Schaffert Sr. in Gig Harbor, Washington, on November 6, 1967, and they settled in Burley, Washington, where Homer worked on a dairy farm. In October of 1970 they moved to Poplar, Wisconsin, along with John, and they purchased a 120 acre dairy farm. Homer worked the dairy farm, working long hours, and also worked at the school as a custodian to supplement the family income.
Nina's responsibility on the farm was to have the family garden and to provide vegetables and food for the table with lots of canned vegetables from her garden. She also had the responsibility of taking care of the chickens and other farm animals, and generally helped Homer to run the farm, since Homer had to work very long hours.. Nina was always giving milk away to the neighbors and friends. She worked hard as a farmer's wife, but she seemed to love her job. Nina also loved to knit, and would knit socks for anyone that came along that needed them, but especially for Homer and John, because of the extremely hard winters in Wisconsin. She was a fairly quiet person, but she openly shared with anyone in need.
After Homer's retirement in 1991, they continued to live on the farm and enjoyed their retirement. She also loved to read and to listen to the radio.
Last year in February 2001, Homer and John suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty stovepipe. Homer never really fully recovered and died on March 28, 2001.
Homer's son, Lonnie and his wife, Francine, asked Nina and John to come to their home in Olympia, Washington, and to live with them. With the complications from her diabetes and her heart condition, Nina went to live in the Mother Joseph Care Center in Olympia, Washington., where she passed away.
We celebrate and give thanks to GOD for her life and all the sacrifices that she made over all those years helping her family, and especially all the others through her generosity and love.

Surviving is her son, Homer Schaffert Jr. of Buckley, Washington, Lonnie Schaffert, Sr., and his wife, Francine, of Olympia, Washington. Patrick Schaffert, and his wife, Tammy, of Montesano, Washington. John Wicks, of Olympia, Washington, and Ronald Wicks, of Helena, Montana. Her daughter, Shirley Bryant, of Lynnwood, Washington. Her brothers, Rodney Smith, of Rochester, Washington, and Robert Smith, and his wife, Lois, of Portland, Oregon. Her sisters Alice Williams, and husband, Carl, of Montana, and Jaunita Smith, of Iowa.
She has 17 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

A Graveside service was held at the Silverdale Cemetery, Silverdale, Washington on April 24, 2002, at 1:00 PM. Officiating was Pastor Wally Snook, of the Silverdale United Methodist Church, Silverdale, Washington,where she attended.
Lewis Funeral Chapel, of Bremerton, Washington, was in charge of the arrangements.