Mrs. Mary Lee Schaefer

Mary Lee Schaefer, 91, passed away on Friday, September 03, 2021 of natural causes. She was surrounded by her children at the time of her passing. Visitation will be Saturday, September 11, 2021 at Chancellor Funeral Home in Byram, MS from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson, MS. A resident of Byram for approximately 50 years, Mrs. Schaefer lived most recently in Ridgeland, MS. She was born on September 30, 1929 in Carthage, MS. Mary Lee died as she lived; a faithful servant of the Lord. She was a founding member of Forest Hill Baptist Church and a past member of Raymond Road Baptist Church. Most recently, she was an active member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church where she found great joy fellowshipping with her Sunday School class and congregation. Mary Lee always found a way to serve her church homes, often helping with Vacation Bible School, serving in the nursery and visiting those who were sick or shut-in. She was also very active in her children’s schools, serving on the PTA and as room mom at Timberlawn and Byram High Schools. She was preceded in death by her husband of 71 ½ years, Thomas Edward Schaefer, her parents, James Sharplin and Etta Mae Kelly Sharplin and her brothers, Jimmie Dale, Horace, Kelly, Thomas and Billy. She is survived by one brother, Dale, to whom she was extremely devoted. Mary Lee had a selfless servant’s heart and spent her life taking care of others. She helped her husband run his own business and was a devoted wife and mother. She will be greatly missed by all those who received her loving care, including her children: Nancy (Frank) Pickering of Gulf Shores, AL; Tommy (Sharon) Schaefer of Pontotoc; twins, Jan (Terry) Hedgepeth of Madison and Ann (Rick) Webster of Madison; and Lynn May of Meridian. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Will (Andrea) Miller; Mary Ann (Josh) Mitchell; Josef, Marlee, and Jenna Schaefer; Schaefer, Blake, Kalli Ayn, and Drew Hedgepeth; Anna Nicole (Will) Burrell; Remington Webster; and Gage Nettles and five great-grandchildren: Cole, Annaleigh, Barron, Miller, and Bastian. Online guestbook may be signed at chancellorfuneralhome.com