Dennis Schaff

Wasilla resident Dennis Schaff, 56, died Oct. 13, 2007, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center from complications due to a nine-year battle with a recurring brain tumor.

A memorial service will at 7 p.m. Oct. 19 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wasilla.

Schaff was born Oct. 27, 1950, in Kansas City, Mo., to John and Mary Schaff and was the second of six children. He graduated from Hayden High School in Topeka, Kan., in 1968 and joined the U.S. Navy, where he served as a fire control technician aboard the USS Tutilla during the Vietnam conflict.

After returning from Vietnam, Schaff married his high school sweetheart Mary. They remained happily married for 35 years, having three children and one grandchild.

Schaff earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from the University of Kansas and began his lifelong love of learning. In 1984, he got a job as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service so he would have an opportunity to transfer to Alaska. The following year the Schaff family moved from Kansas to Alaska to find adventure in the Last Frontier. Schaff continued working as a letter carrier in Anchorage and Wasilla until his retirement in 1998 due to a recurring brain tumor.

Despite medical expectations of living for only two years, Schaff managed to wage a nine-year battle against the tumors. These extra years allowed him to see his sons graduate, one get married and the birth of his first grandchild. The past nine years also allowed Schaff to further explore his hobbies, which included stained glass, puzzles, cooking, reading, storytelling and enjoying his wife’s delicious pies.

Most importantly, he used the past nine years to further strengthen his relationship with Jesus Christ and to share Christ’s love and peace with others. He was a dedicated Christian who truly loved Jesus and had a passion for the word of God.

Schaff is survived by his wife, Mary; sons, Aaron and Joseph; daughter-in-law, Enola; grandchild Abigail Marie; parents, John and Mary; brothers, John, Allan, Richard and Greg; sister, Kathleen; and many others who will greatly miss his stories, smile and sense of humor.

He was preceded in death by his eldest son, Christopher, of whom he was always proud.