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Donald Neal "Don" Schlafer
September 30, 2021

Obituary

Donald Neal Schlafer (Don) went to meet his Savior on Thursday September 30, 2021.
Don was born June 25, 1944 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Neal and Beuna Schlafer and was the eldest of six children. Don graduated from Granville Joint Union High School in Milwaukee in 1963 and from Gulf Coast Bible College in Houston, Texas in 1968 with B.A. and B.T.H. degrees. He received his MDiv from Anderson College S.O.T. in 1972 and was ordained in 1973 as a Church of God minister. Don pastored in Reedsburg, Wisconsin ’73-’77. He then returned to Anderson and purchased the auto body shop where he had previously worked while attending Seminary, renaming it Schlafer’s Coach and Chassis. In 1989, Don began working for American Family Insurance in Corporate Training and Development. He married Kay Newberry Fletcher that same year and they then moved to Madison, Wisconsin where he wrote a training manual on auto adjusting for the company. He and Kay moved back to Anderson in 2001 where He continued working for American Family Insurance and retired in 2006 after 18 years.
Don was a steadfast member of Park Place Church of God and Truthfinder’s Sunday School Class. He had a servant’s heart and volunteered for many years in various church outreach ministries. These included Contact Help Crisis Counselor, Pendleton Reformatory Visitation Team, Park Place After School Fun Mentor, and he was honored to be asked to be the project leader to refurbish the “old Park Place School” to become the new Church Community Center in 2010. Don made two mission trips to serve the people of Saltillio, Mexico, and Uganda. His last stint as a volunteer was with the Wellness Center at Anderson University.
For over 20 years, Don’s passion for restoring vintage cars led him to do ground-up restorations of a number of Model A Fords for himself and others. He was a member of the Indiana Model A Club where he was serving his second term as club director. Don currently was restoring a 1928 Model A Roadster for himself, until his health prevented him from completing it. Friends are helping with its completion.
In the last hour of his life, his wife Kay held his hand as he remembered it was their 32nd wedding anniversary. They had married on this date (September 30th) in 1989.
Don was the proud father of Martin “Marty” (Felicia) Schlafer, Mark (Kim Witte) Schlafer, Matthew “Matt” (Michele) Schlafer, Marisa Schlafer and Angela (Cameron) Ellison. He dearly loved his eight grandchildren: Trent Schlafer, Sydney (Jaycee) Jensen, Olivia and Ben Schlafer, Mason and Mya Schlafer, Zoe Welnack, Ike Ellison and great-grandson Emerson Jensen. Don is survived by his five siblings: Lois (Mark) Rose, Linda (Jerry) Cline, Allen (Debbie) Schlafer, Gary (Connie) Schlafer and Laura (Peter) Joosse, as well as sisters-in-law Jill Newberry Dickerson and Beth (John) Moe.
Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, October 8, 2021 at 12:00 noon at Park Place Church of God, 501 College Dr., Anderson, IN 46012 with Dr’s Donald Johnson, Jonathan Grubbs and David Coolidge officiating. A private burial will be at East Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be held two hours prior, from 10—12, at the church.
In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution in memory of Don to Park Place Church of God. The family requests that masks be worn.
Post online condolences at www.rozelle-johnson.com.

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Rozelle Johnson Funeral Service
229 S. Rangeline Road
Anderson, IN 46012
765-643-7474