Arthur W. Schafer Jr.

Obituary

Arthur Walter Schafer Jr., the son of Arthur Walter Sr. and Esther (Voight) Schafer, was born on January 13, 1944, in the upstairs bedroom of the Schafer home in Hector, Minnesota. He was baptized as an infant at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hector, and confirmed there as a youth. Art attended and graduated from the Hector High School with the Class of 1962. While in High School, he worked as a projectionist at the Palace Theatre.

Art was united in marriage to Julie Ellen Carlson on February 1, 1964, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. They made their home in Hector, and were blessed with their children, Kristi Ellen in 1969 and Mitchell Arthur in 1970. Art and Julie shared 60 years of marriage.

In 1966, Art joined the National Guard Unit in Olivia. During his six years with the Unit, he attended the Minnesota Military Academy and attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

Art and Julie created Jular Theatres. Over time, they owned and operated the theatre in Hector known as Movies 1, and Movies 2, the 212 Drive-In in Buffalo Lake, Movies 3 in Olivia, and operated the Downtown Theatre and The Drive-In Theatre in Worthington, Minnesota, and the Sunset Drive-In at Pipestone, Minnesota. The Hector Theatre was open throughout this time, with help from Kristi and Mitchell and their great employees. For a time, Art also managed the Orpheum Theater in Downtown Minneapolis.

In July of 1976, Art and Julie opened The Hitchin’ Post clothing store with the Montgomery Ward catalogue center in Hector. In 1982, Art started employment as a substitute rural mail carrier. From 1983 to 1993, he also worked the night shift at HTI in Hutchinson. Eventually, Art received his own mail route. He really liked delivering mail and the people on his route.

A life-long member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Art loved teaching Sunday School. His passion for singing and acting started in church, sharing the narratives of various Biblical people.

Art loved live entertainment, and was cast in many plays on the Hector Palace Theatre stage, including:
Music Man as Professor Harold Hill, Our Town, Annie as FDR, South Pacific as Luther Billis, and Fiddler on the Roof as Tevye. He was also a cast member in the Hutchinson play Rumors.

Favorite pastimes included their Iris Gardens, 15 large beds comprised of numerous hybrid irises. Traveling was a family highlight, with many trips throughout the United States. Art was a member of the Renville County Singers and sang in the annual Cantata. He was involved with the Renville County Republicans, and the family attended the inauguration of President George W. Bush in 2001. Art devoted time and effort to the project Teddy Bear Drop during the Iraq war. With a soft heart for pets, he rescued many abandoned kittens, and loved his dog, Sunshine.

On June 28, 2008, Art was in a terrible accident. Following two months in Minneapolis hospitals, he became a resident at the Buffalo Lake Healthcare Center. This was his home for two weeks shy of 16 years. On Friday evening, June 14, 2024, Art passed away there, having reached the age of 80 years. Blessed be his memory.

Arthur is survived by his:
Wife, Julie Schafer of Hector;
Daughter, Kristi LaMorgia and her husband, Victor, of Fargo, ND;
Son, Mitchell Schafer of Hawley, MN;
Sisters-in-law: Joyce Olinger of Buffalo Lake, MN, and Audrey Carlson of Texas;
many other relatives and friends.

Art was preceded in death by his Parents, Arthur Sr. and Esther Schafer; Siblings: Franklin (Gloria) Schafer, Arvil Schafer, Elnora “Mickey” (Dick) Scheffler, Elroy (Marlys) Schafer, Eugene (Martha) Schafer, and Orlin Schafer; Brothers-in-law: Darrell Carlson, Mike Olinger, and Dale Carlson.