Alma Lee Schaffer

1936 - 2021

SCHAFFER, Alma Lee, of Richmond, Va., passed away peacefully on February 11, 2021, at the age of 84, following a brief illness. She rejoins her beloved parents, Dr. Edgar T. Thompson and Alma Macy Thompson. Lee was born on May 14, 1936, in Durham, N.C. She graduated from Duke University in 1958. where on a blind date, she met the love of her life, Richard "Dick" Schaffer. Lee was a world traveler, voracious reader and gourmet cook. As the daughter of a professor, she got the opportunity to travel extensively, which carried on into adulthood. During her first three years of marriage, she lived in a thatched-roofed cottage in England, while Dick was stationed nearby with the U.S. Air Force. They moved to Richmond in 1962. An unabashed Anglophile, she would return to the "old country" many times throughout her life. Her travels took her to five continents. Whether it was riding camels with her mother in Egypt, riding elephants in India, or eating fish eyes in Japan, she had an insatiable curiosity about the cultures of the world. Lee was a member of several book clubs and a founding member of the First Edition Book Club which began in 1967. She hosted many international-themed dinners for her gourmet groups and her woman's clubs. Her grandchildren remember her as the quintessential grandma ("Meemaw" to some), who spent hours preparing Thanksgiving meals that she never had time to sit down and enjoy herself. Lee was kind, caring and generous. She treasured her many friends, from her Durham High School Beach group, Dunlora and Tuckahoe Woman's Clubs, Lawyers' Wives Auxiliary Group, River Road Baptist Sunday School, Friendship Force, bridge groups, PTA, and book clubs. She loved sharing her knowledge and love of Richmond as a tour guide for several years. Most of all, Lee relished her summers at Holden Beach with the family and around the ever-growing dining table for Sunday dinners and holidays. Left to cherish her memory are her beloved husband of 62 years, Richard Schaffer; her four children, Rebecca Tully (Kevin), Rick Schaffer (Anne), Reed Schaffer, Kate Thompson (Will); and her nine grandchildren, Kristen and Curran Tully; Sam, Alec, and Colin Schaffer; Ethan Schaffer; Brayton, Macy and Charlie Thompson. The family would like to thank Bon Secours Hospice and Dr. Susan Schaffer-Whiteman for their exceptional care during her brief illness. Lee loved the English language. Ever the grammatist, we are all left now to wonder whether to use "lay" or "lie" in a sentence! A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the BarkVa.org, the Parkinson's Foundation, or a charity of your choice.