Benjamin Due Schafer

Benjamin Due Schafer, age 34, passed away on December 17th in Tacoma, WA. On that day, the world lost a playful son, a caring brother, a dedicated friend and a loving husband and father. Ben will be greatly missed by those that are blessed to have known and loved him. He will be remembered through the moments and memories that he shared with so many and the strong relationships and bonds that he developed with friends and family over the years. Ben grew up in Tacoma, Washington where he developed a love for sports, friends, family and the outdoors. Early memories of Ben include skiing down Queen’s Run and nights in the RV at Crystal Mountain, putting Baseball cards in bike spokes to make them sound like motorcycles, and two-hand-touch football, baseball and capture the flag at Jefferson Park. Ben was a nerd—he loved school—and through school, he developed a love for math, school sports (mainly football), and the many friendships he made. He went on to Wilson High School where these interests flourished. Ben played football and golf for the Wilson JV and Varsity teams, and was also actively involved in the vibrant culture at Wilson that included school dances, sports events and pep rallies. It was at Wilson where Ben also established some of his greatest friendships, including those with Blake Stockstad and Andy Rogers. The three of them would later attend the University of San Diego together, even sharing a dorm room their first year. At the University of San Diego, Ben pursued his love for mathematics, getting his BA in Mathematics. He had many adventures with Blake and Andy and the many friends he met over his time there. As an outgoing, fun loving, and generally goofy guy, he was always happy to dress up for any occasion, hop into a car for any road trip, and eager to celebrate anything (no matter how small). As with Wilson, Ben became a major part of the USD community, loving and being loved by many. And while he did not know it then, his time at USD also planted the seed of what would become another great relationship in his life, that with his wife, Annie Senner. After receiving a Master’s Degree in Bio Statistics from the University of California at San Diego, Ben returned to the Northwest. He lived in Ballard for a number of years, working in bio statistics professionally, building a strong friendship with his cousin Jenny and her husband Brian, developing (as always) a strong network of friends and pursuing his love of the outdoors by getting involved with the Mountaineers, having lots of great adventures and even summiting Mount Rainier. During this time, Ben continued to be an active USD Alumnus and regularly attended Alumni events across the Northwest. At one such event, Ben met Annie Senner, a Northwest girl that had also attended USD that he had known only as an acquaintance during his time there. Ben had finally found someone he loved more than math. Ben and Annie’s relationship grew as they pursued the activities that they loved together, including running, hiking, mountaineering, boating, traveling, and socializing with their many friends. The two were married on a beautiful, sunny day in Roche Harbour on July 29, 2012, surrounded by the many friends and families that had been touched so much by them and the beautiful relationship they had formed through each other. Ben and Annie lived together in Tacoma, near his old stomping grounds by Jefferson Park. There he followed another interest of his, that of becoming an entrepreneur. He established a number of franchises in the Northwest, including OxiFresh Carpet Cleaning and Club-Z tutoring. Ben enjoyed the challenge and the autonomy of running and growing the franchises, as well as the relationships that he built over the years with his employees, colleagues and customers. In 2014, Ben and Annie began a new stage in their life with the birth of their first child. Jack Senner Schafer was born, happy and healthy, on the 7th of December, 2014 to the loving arms of his parents, and with the loving support of Ben and Annie’s many close friends and family. Even in these challenging times, little Jack is a reminder of the wonder and beauty of this world. Ben is survived by his wife, Annie, and son, Jack. Others include his mother, Debbie Due, father, Doug Schafer, brothers Nick and Don; Annie’s parents John and Susie Senner and sister Rody, and many relatives and friends. We will celebrate the laughter, joy and memories that Ben brought to our lives with a memorial service on Saturday, January 3, 2015, 2:00 pm, at University Place Presbyterian Church, 8101 27th St. W., University Place, WA 98466.