Obituary of Fred J Schaefer

MENDHAM TWP- Fred J. Schaefer Jr. died at home on Wednesday December 8, 2010. He was 84. Born in Syracuse NY, he lived in California and Oregon before returning to Syracuse in 1943. He lived in Florham Park before moving to Mendham Township in 1966. He lived in Mendham Township for 40 years, having spent four years in Illinois, 1975-79 participating in the initial A T & T cellular trials. He was a veteran of World War II serving in the U. S. Navy as an Electronics Technician. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Syracuse University in 1950. Mr. Schaefer was an electrical engineer for Bell Laboratories in Whippany, N.J. for 37 years, working principally in military electronics and military systems. He was assigned for two years to the Telstar satellite project and from 1974 until his retirement in 1987, his work was related to various cellular telephone systems. He continued in that field as a consulting engineer. He was a past member of the West Morris Regional High School Board of Education. He was a deacon and a long-time member of the building and grounds committee of the First Presbyterian Church of Mendham. He was a member of the Jersey Jazz Society, and a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, serving as a volunteer vision screener for 17 years. He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary in July 1987. Survivors include his wife, Gail; two daughters, Kay Schaefer of Arlington, VA and Betsy Allison of Terre Haute, IN, his brother, John of Sunnyvale CA, three grandchildren, David, Katy, and Peter Allison and three great-granddaughters, Elizabeth, Lena, and Abigail Allison. Arrangements are by the Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ 07945 (973) 543-4720 www.baileyfuneralhomes.com Visiting hours will be on Friday, December 10, 2010 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the funeral home. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Mendham, 20 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ 07945 on Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 2:00 PM. Those who so wish may make contributions in his memory to the First Presbyterian Church of Mendham, 14 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ 07945, or to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 9275 Tremont Rd., Townsend, TN 37882. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.