Gerald (Jerry) Dean Schaff Custom Obituary
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin – Gerald (Jerry) Dean Schaff put the finishing touches on the final chapter in a life that positively impacted family and friends across the country when he passed away on July 5, 2026, at the age of 88. Whether you were fortunate enough to count him as part of your family or benefit from his willingness to help out as a good neighbor, your life was better for having known this big-hearted man.
Jerry was born September 23, 1937, in Mandan, North Dakota, the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Schaff. He developed a strong work ethic from the word go, beginning with working at his father’s butcher shop from age 7 to 16 before taking a job at the local Chevrolet garage. He built a reputation as a hard worker throughout his career, conscientious and meticulous in his efforts, and well-liked by coworkers and supervisors alike.
As a young man in search of adventure and opportunity, Jerry entered the United States Air Force in 1956 at the age of 19. He was assigned to Roswell (Walker) Air Force Base in New Mexico as a Fire Control System Mechanic for the giant B-47 Stratojet. Jerry bought a Harley-Davidson motorcycle while he was there, giving him something fun to work on and ride in the desert. He was transferred to Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire two years later and served out the remainder of his tour.
Jerry moved to Green Bay at the end of his enlistment to be near his mother and took a job with Otis Elevator as an elevator mechanic. A job assignment took him to the Appleton area, where he met his love, Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Maurer. They married the following year and bought a home in Green Bay to raise their family.
Jerry remained active for much of his life with hobbies that spanned the intensity spectrum from fishing, boating and working on automobiles – especially his prized 1970 Mercury Cougar – to water skiing and even skydiving. He was the guy neighbors could count on to help with tasks such as mowing lawns, removing snow, fixing mowers, working on vehicles, and cutting down trees.
Retirement from regular employment in May of 1996 brought on a new chapter in traveling. He and Betty moved to Fort Myers, Florida, to escape Wisconsin winters. They made periodic trips to California and North Carolina to visit their daughter during the spring and summer, and made numerous trips with family and friends within the USA. They also visited Japan and Hawaii. Jerry never truly retired, he just transitioned to working part-time at a local garage, where he kept himself busy earning what he termed “beer money.”
Jerry mourned the passing of his beloved Betty in 2019, but maintained his positive attitude toward life. He never slowed down and strove to keep improving on everything he did while helping others. A natural conversationalist, Jerry never met a person he didn’t like. He could talk to anyone and make them feel as though they had been friends for years.
Survivors include Jerry’s daughter, Lori (Mark) Roberts, stepson Jeff (Katie) Peterson, grandson Andrew Grinder, and great-grandson Elias Grinder. He also loved and was close with his step-grandchildren, Jason (Susie and Ethan) Peterson, Chad (Robyn, Riley and Jack) Peterson, Nick Pike and Danielle Wernette.
The family will honor Jerry’s wishes to be cremated with no funeral service. There will be a private celebration of Jerry’s life for family and friends at a later date. He would want you to keep this poem in mind that inspired him:
I’ll Be Set Free
When my breath grows quiet
And the light begins to fade,
Do not hold me with your sorrow –
I am stepping into dawn.
The weight of years will fall away
Like leaves released to the wind.
My spirit will rise unburdened,
Drawn toward the One who calls my name.
I will walk in fields unshadowed,
Where no tear can find my face,
And every ache is mended
By the hands that shaped my soul.
Remember me in kindness,
In laughter, in the warmth we shared;
For love is the bridge between us,
And on that bridge, I’ll be set free.
© 2026 Copyright Mike Dauplaise
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this page may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without express written, dated and signed permission from the author.