Elva Ruth (nee Canning) Schafer was born Jan. 11, 1938 in Hale, Missouri to John Ross and Charlotte Faye (nee Dinsmore) Canning and passed away May 21, 2026 at the age of 88 years.
On June 27, 1957, she married Robert Otto Schafer Sr.
Elva lived in Salem, Missouri, from 1957 until 2012; in New Jersey from 2012 until 2019; and in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, from 2019 until 2026.
She graduated from high school in Springfield, Oregon in 1955, from Southwest Baptist College in 1957 with an Associates of Arts degree and from Washington University in 1966 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Education. She also obtained a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Missouri.
She taught in a one-room school, elementary school, and junior high school in Dent County, and the Salem school districts from 1960 until 1992. After retiring from teaching, she operated Schafer’s Furniture, along with her husband, until 2011.
She was a member of Abundant Life Baptist Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri and had been a member of Second Baptist Church in Salem, Missouri, Oak Grove Baptist Church in Salem, Missouri, and Salem Avenue Baptist Church in Rolla, Missouri. She also attended Valley View Chapel in Long Valley, New Jersey, while she lived there. She taught adult Sunday school classes at Oak Grove Baptist Church, helped with the AWANA children’s program at Salem Avenue Baptist Church, and volunteered with the Living History program at Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla, Missouri.
She enjoyed playing golf, attending auctions, quilting, painting and playing bunco.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, daughter, Kelly and husband Mike Shoemaker; brother, Gene Canning; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Rev. Otto Ray Schafer and Lela Elizabeth Schafer; and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Virginia and Bob Dale and Faye and Kip Drown.
She is survived by her sons, Robert Jr. and Minnie Schafer of Cuba, Missouri and John and Suzie Schafer of Loch Lloyd, Missouri; grandchildren, Andrea Schumacher and husband Jon of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Ashley Schafer and husband Kassidy Zhou of Edwardsville, Illinois, John Shoemaker and wife Casey of Alexandria, Virginia, Brian Schafer and wife Brianna of Denver, Colorado, Joe Shoemaker of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Kyle Schafer of Boulder, Colorado; sister, Alyce Frazier and husband Joe of Mansfield, Texas; brothers, Ross Canning and wife Vee of Port Angeles, Washington and Glen and wife Dotha of Corvallis, Oregon; sister-in-law, Tenny Canning of Seattle, Washington; eight great grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
Graveside service was held at 11 a.m. on June 5, 2026 at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Salem, Missouri.
Memorial service was held at 10:30 a.m. on June 8, 2026 at the Abundant Life Baptist Church Administration Building in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
