Ernestine "Patsy" Schlafley

Ernestine Patricia “Patsy” (Irwin) Schlafley, age 91 of Clare, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at the Woodland Hospice House of Mt. Pleasant. On January 12, 1929, Patsy was born the daughter of Ernest Clive and Olive (Davis) Irwin at their family home in Vernon Township. She was united in marriage to William “Bill” Schlafley on June 15, 1947 in Clare, and the couple enjoyed just over seventy years of marriage together until the time of Bill’s passing on January 5, 2018. After her graduation from Clare High School in 1946, Patsy began her work career as a bookkeeper in the Clare area with her first employers including Michigan Bell Telephone Co., the Clare Hardware and Furniture Company, Marbles Auto Collision, and even a local chicken farm. However, it was Patsy’s fifty-five years served at Johnston’s Elevator from 1957 to her retirement in early 2012 that brought about her local celebrity—as everyone in town knew “Patsy from the Elevator”. When Patsy wasn’t tending to elevator business, it’s a safe bet that she was working on matters involving the Rebekah Lodge, as she was a proud member for the majority of her life, and even served as the State Assembly President in 1968. She was also a proud auxiliary member of the American Legion. Patsy had a love of vacation trips with her husband Bill, plants and flowers, attending her grandkid’s sporting events, and most notably her passion for taking pictures of just about anything she wanted to. Patsy is survived by her three children Cheryl (Steve) Marshall, Vicky Louch, and Jamie (Gina) Schlafley, all of whom reside in Clare. Other survivors include her grandchildren Dean (Alyson Parks) Louch, David (Michelle) Louch, Stevan (Brandi) Louch, Lindsey (Jeff) Simonis, Lesley (Ryan) McLain, J.J. (Jamille) Schlafley, Tricia (Garrett) Seybert, and Angela (Ben Szost) Schlafley, and her great-grandchildren Annisten, Reagan, Ryan, Hadley, Olive, Ivy, Colin, Emersyn, Harper, Reed, Logan, Chase, Kenzie, Paisley, and June. Patsy was preceded in death by her husband William Schlafley, her parents Ernest C. and Olive Irwin, her siblings Betty Dorn and Gerald Irwin, and her son-in-law Les Louch. A private funeral service will take place in Patsy’s honor on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at the Clare Chapel of the Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home with Mr. Scott Moore officiating. A public graveside service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on 12th in the Vernon Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would request Memorial contributions in honor of Patsy, to be directed to MidMichigan Home Care for the Room and Board Fund at the Woodland Hospice House in Mount Pleasant. Please send contributions to Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home. For those unable to attend, services will be live-streamed on the Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home FaceBook Page, and online condolences may be shared at www.stephenson-wyman.com A celebration of Patsy’s life will be taking place at the Post 558 American Legion in June of 2021

Ernestine "Patsy" Schlafley

January 12, 1929 - January 7, 2021