Allen Schaefer

Allen L. Schaefer, age 77 of Riverdale, died Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

Allen had been a warehouse manager throughout his career, working for several companies. He was most recently with BJ’s Wholesale Club Receiving Department in Riverdale. His career ended there in 2017 after he was involved in an accident that fractured his neck. Allen was temporarily paralyzed, but fortunate to have an excellent surgical team who were able to repair his neck, allowing him to walk again.

Allen grew up in Paterson and graduated from Paterson Tech High School. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army during the 1960’s, serving most of his time in Germany. Allen’s favorite pastime, especially during the pandemic, was watching television! He particularly loved old cowboy movies with John Wayne, or watching sports. He was a Green Bay Packers fan, Notre Dame fan, and loved to watch baseball, especially the San Francisco Giants.

Allen married and had two daughters before his wife passed away in 1993, at just forty-six years old. With the help of family, he raised his two daughters as a single dad. In 2006, Allen met Marianne DiGirolamo at a meeting of “Parents Without Partners,” and their love blossomed quickly. Marianne had little desire to get married again, but Allen was charming, kind, and persistent.  They were married on October 10, 2010 (10-10-10), and they enjoyed a family trip to Disney World a short time later to celebrate. Throughout their years together, they’ve visited Disney World eleven times, and it has always been a favorite destination of theirs. It’s no wonder that Allen’s two cats are named Tigger and Pooh!. Allen was a devoted husband to his beloved Marianne, and he was always very good to her. They’ve enjoyed a very loving marriage and she will miss him dearly.

Allen is survived by his wife, Marianne (nee DiGirolamo) of Riverdale, three children; Sandra Hilgemberg and her husband Niv, Kimberly Iovino and her husband Gerard, and Linda Kearney and her husband Kevin, five grandchildren; Alexandria, Nicole, and Rachael Hilgemberg, Logan Iovino, and Marissa Verdon and her husband Andrew, five great-grandchildren; Ariana, Rylin, Briella, Andrew, and Serafina, and one brother; James Schaffer and his wife Patricia.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Allen’s memory would be appreciated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, www.stjude.org.