David Schaefer

David Anthony Schaefer, 59, of Surprise, AZ died December 17, 2023 after a short bout with cancer. Services will be held at 2:00 PM CST on Friday, January 12, 2024 at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Fr. Thomas Grafsgaard officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will take place at a later date at Mound Cemetery, Rhame, ND.

David was born on November 23, 1964 in Bowman, ND. He attended grade school in Wahpeton, ND and Nedrose Elementary in Minot, ND. He completed his schooling and graduated from Beulah High School in 1982. He was a good student in school and loved playing football. David was also very social and had many friends. While in high school, David worked part time at Galloway’s Super Value and Darrel Zimmeran’s, taking care of vending machines. He gave his parents lots of gray hair, especially when he and three friends got lost on Lake Sakakawea in a storm and were not found for 24 hours.

After graduation, he decided to go to Colorado Air Tech. He went on to become a helicopter mechanic, working for different helicopter companies before settling into Surprise, AZ. He worked there until his passing. David took pride in his accomplishments as a helicopter mechanic and enjoyed his work. When David was younger, he spent three summers working on the farm for his uncle Les in Rhame, ND. Over the years, conversations between the two would often land on how David didn’t have any mechanic knowledge when he was a young man and Les wondered how he was able to repair helicopters. David’s response would be that he had to sign off on the repair and he and the pilot would take the first flight together.

David loved hunting, reading, playing slot machines and cooking. He was an excellent chef. His work took him to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Hawaii, United Kingdom, Brazil and many states in the US. When his good friend died in a helicopter crash, it set David back for quite some time.

He is survived by his daughter, Kayla Schaefer; parents, James and Donna Schaefer; two sisters, Annette Haas and Natalie Armstrong; one brother, James (Ernie) Schaefer; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Monte and Mary England and Walt and Eilene Schaefer; his aunt, Katherine; and his uncle, Gerald.

We hope there is a helicopter in Heaven for him to repair, love your family.

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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