Schafer celebrates

Justin Schafer didn’t set out to live to 100, but now that his century birthday is here he’s more than willing to celebrate.
The dean of Jay County’s farm implement dealers, Schafer turned 100 today. He celebrated Sunday afternoon with family and a few close friends at Persimmon Ridge Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Portland.
“I was lucky,” Schafer said last week as his birthday approached.
Luck, friendships and hard work took him from a $7 a week job as a hired hand on a dairy farm near Saratoga to a career in the farm implement business in Portland, first with an International Harvester dealership, then with an Allis-Chalmers dealership and finally with his own dealership selling equipment from the Oliver Company.
“Oliver treated me the nicest for a poor guy,” he said in a 2005 interview. “I knew they would treat me right.”
Born on the family farm in Randolph County, he was named Justin Charles in honor of his two grandfathers.
“The home farm, that’s been in the family over 150 years,” said Schafer.
Locally, Schafer farmed land west of Portland Municipal Airport. Some of that land was sold to allow for airport expansion.
A former member of Portland Rotary Club, Schafer served 12 years on the board of trustees of Jay County Hospital, including the critical period when the current hospital was built.
“I had a little something to do with the location,” he said. “That’s the highest spot on that farm.”
Schafer sold his business in 1971. He moved to Crown Pointe assisted living about 10 years ago, first as a winter-only resident then year-round. The transition to Persimmon Ridge came earlier this month, and Schafer is comfortable with the move.
“We’ve got good food here,” he said. “The care is good. … As a whole, it’s pretty good.”
But turning 100 is no picnic.
“It’s not as much fun as you think it is,” he said.
His advice as he passes the century mark echoes advice he received from the late Dr. Eugene Gillum.
“Take good care of your family,” said Schafer. “Good health, good family and good friends. You’ve got to have good friends.”