Bernice Schaefer

Bernice Schaefer passed away from natural causes attended by family on May 26, 2023, at the age of 95. Bernice most recently resided at The Brooks of Cibolo after 72 years in St. Hedwig, Texas. She and twin sister Eunice were born in San Antonio, Texas on January 8, 1928, to Alvin and Alma Jenschke.

Bernice and her sisters were frequent visitors to their grandparents and cousins in Fredericksburg and Luckenbach, Texas, long before Luckenbach was popularized in song. Summer Sundays usually started with 6 am mass and then the family went to their small cabin on the Guadalupe River at US281 for fishing and swimming. She graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School in 1946 and worked for a time at Fort Sam and City Public Service. She and her life’s love, Ernst Schaefer of St. Hedwig, met in 1948 and were married in June 1950. The city girl moved to the country, where she quickly adapted and fit right in. They and Ernst’s brothers built their lifelong home. Her family quickly grew with the addition of six children. She was a parishioner of Annunciation Catholic Church in St. Hedwig for over 70 years and a member of the Rosary Society for many of those years. During Lent, Bernice put her earlier fishing training to use and she and a child or two would go fishing on Fridays at a farm pond in hopes of catching their Lenten dinner, in lieu of something less tasty.

Families on both the Jenschke and Schaefer sides were tight knit. Bernice and her whole family always looked forward to the Jenschke family reunions on the Guadalupe River. Her father and uncles at some point would break out their instruments and play polkas and waltzes, have washer tournaments and plenty of socializing while the many children played in the river rapids, when flowing. Bernice’s home in St. Hedwig was always a focal point as the Schaefer Brothers also built a swimming pool in the backyard. Many a birthday party for not only her children, but nieces, nephews and family friends were hosted there.

While Bernice played volleyball and basketball in high school, she coached two of her daughter’s CYO softball teams with family friends. Bernice was also an avid bowler of both 10 and nine pin games and she and Ernst were long-term members of the Martinez Social Club, which included both bowling lanes and dances. She and Ernst waltzed beautifully together, and they are now in heaven, waltzing across Texas. After her children started

their own lives, she and Ernst enjoyed Jenschke family bus trips to visit casinos in Louisiana or Eagle Pass, Texas. The tradition was continued with short trips to Eagle Pass with immediate family after Ernst’s passing in 2005. She also remained active and continued bowling in several 10 pin leagues and tournaments.

Bernice is survived by her children: Suzanne [Mike] Kopatz, Alan Schaefer, Elizabeth (Liz) Banks, Gary [Lyn] Schaefer, Barbara [Raul] Cabello, James [Kim Lewis] Schaefer, along with 14 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren with one on the way, and her siblings: Ruby Wildman, Norma Reininger, Clifton (Ruby) Jenschke and Margie (Franklin) Bendele.

Bernice is preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Ernst Schaefer, parents Alvin and Alma Jenschke, twin sister Eunice Healton, and great grandson Niklas Welch.

For assistance in Bernice’s later life, the family extends a special thank you to her granddaughter, Lori Welch.

A Visitation will be held at Schertz Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 from 5:00-8:00 PM, with a Rosary to be recited at 7:00 PM. The Funeral Mass will be the following day on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 11:30 AM at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, followed by a procession to Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery for the Graveside Service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the American Heart Association