Rubie Burgess Schaffer

Schaffer, Rubie Burgess, age 88 of Rockwood, TN, passed away June 23, 2008, at her residence on Watts Bar Lake. Rubie was born January 4, 1920 in Neola, UT to John F. and Sarah Owen Burgess and was the youngest of 5 children. In her early years her family had a farm in Neola and operated a dude ranch in the Uinta Mountains. She had an exciting childhood in the Wild West growing up with Ute Indians as neighbors. She was a high school graduate from a small town and went to the big city of Salt Lake to study business. While working part time selling records at Daynes Music Company, she met her future husband, Wilbur F. (Bill) Schaffer, Jr. Weeks later an elopement to Wendover, NV followed. That same year her husband was called to active duty and was stationed in Washington D.C. as a high explosive engineer and was chosen to work on the Manhattan Project. They lived in Los Alamos, NM while he worked on the atomic bomb. After the war, they moved to Albuquerque, NM and then to Oak Ridge, TN in 1951. In 1953, she made a home in Fountain City where she raised 3 sons and was active in the garden club and was “the best mother in the world.” After Bill’s retirement their summer home on Watts Bar Lake became their permanent residence. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Sarah Burgess; Bill Schaffer, husband of 58 years; siblings, Winnifred Willden, Bert Burgess, Owen Burgess, and Verdun Burgess. She leaves 3 sons; Jon and wife Sherrill, Larry and wife Cele, all of Knoxville, and James of Rockwood, grandchildren; Elise Kern and husband Jim, Laura Green, Michael Schaffer and wife Danielle, Chris Kolls, Brent Schaffer, Cassie Kolls, and Sarah Schaffer, great-grandchildren; Sarah Kern, Jimmy Kern, Carter Green, Braxton Clark, and Jon London Schaffer and precious dog Muffin. Family and friends will meet at 2:00 P.M. Monday, June 30th at Highland Memorial Cemetery for a graveside service with Rev. Brenda Carroll officiating. Friends may call at the home of Jon and Sherrill Schaffer following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp Buck Toms, c/o Great Smoky Mountain Council, Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 51885, Knoxville, Tennessee 37950-1885. McCammon–Ammons-Click Funeral Home, Maryville in charge 982-6812 www.mccammonammonsclick.com