Marion Schaefer

Marion Victor Schaefer, age 96, formerly of Palm Springs, Calif., passed away Friday, Dec. 25, 2020 in Trumbull, Conn., where she had been residing since 2018. Born in Berlin, she was the daughter of Julius and Ruth Spry Victor.

Marion lived a long, interesting and wonderful life. Marion grew up Jewish in pre-war Germany and spent much of her early school years barely escaping the Nazis. Through her amazing spirit, she overcame many obstacles.

With the war approaching and the Nazi party in power, Marion and her mother were able to obtain visas and left Germany for Shanghai, China. Japanese forces soon conquered China and the family found itself imprisoned for years in the Jewish Ghetto with many other European refugees. Marion held many jobs while in Shanghai, including working for the American Army when they liberated the refugees.

Marion met and married her first husband, Walter Cohen, in Shanghai. With the end of the war, they again found themselves in the middle of another upheaval, the communist revolution from which they were finally able to escape on a humanitarian ship to the US. They settled in Jackson Heights, NY. After Walter’s death, Marion visited family in California and stayed there, living and working in Los Angeles until her former beau, Hans Schaefer, whom she had also met while in Shanghai, contacted her and convinced her to move back to New York and marry him. They eventually retired to Palm Springs and had a wonderful life there, playing tennis and enjoying the desert climate.

After Hans passed away in 1991, Marion continued to enjoy the Palm Springs life. She was an avid tennis player and worked tirelessly for many charitable organizations. She loved to travel to Switzerland in the summer, staying at the Palace Hotel in Gstaad and attending the annual Roy Emerson Tennis Clinic. She enjoyed hiking and picnicking after a day of tennis, and of course her evening cocktail before dinner. Marion was a wonderful grandmother, mother, daughter, wife and friend. She loved the arts, attending Broadway shows, the Opera and philharmonic performances whenever she could. Her cocktail parties were sought after invitations as she loved entertaining people in her home. You may also view a video interview describing Marion’s amazing life in her own words, made by her close friends at MarionSchaefer.com.

Marion is survived by her son, George Schaefer and his wife Shelley; her daughter, Linda Dunn and her husband, Edward; four grandchildren, Ethan Schaefer, Dustin Schaefer and his wife, Brittany; Zachary Dunn and his partner Sara Jacobi; and Michael Dunn and his partner Lei’La’ Bryant.

Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers please make a contribution to the charity of your choice. To send online condolences please visit www.redgatehennessy.com