Virginia Ruth Schaffer (1881-1960) was born in Kentucky on October 4, 1881 to Jacob F. and Emma (Rehm) Schaffer. Jacob and Emma were both children of German immigrants. Jacob worked as a hotel clerk and Emma kept house. Virginia was the eldest of the three children. The family lived on S. Floyd Street in the Phoenix Hill Neighborhood. In 1901, Virginia graduated from the Louisville Female High School. She then attended the Louisville Normal School where she received education courses. She also took courses at Nazareth College and the University of Kentucky. Virginia began her teaching career at George W. Morris School (302 E. Chestnut Street), but she was only there for one year. Virginia was a teacher at the Kentucky Street School in Louisville, which became the Victor H. Engelhard School in 1919 (111 E. Kentucky Street). She taught third and fourth grade classes at the school for 48 years before her retirement in 1953. In total, she taught for 49 years.
After her father’s death in 1922, Virginia, her mother Emma, and her niece Virginia moved to 1332 Christy Avenue in the Highlands Neighborhoods. Emma (Rehm) Schaeffer died on January 31, 1952 and was buried next to her husband in Section A, Range 7, Lot 10. Virginia remained in the house on Christy until her death on October 4, 1960 at the age of 79. She was buried next to her parents. It appears that her grave is unmarked. Her obituary credits her with “rearing” her niece Virginia (Schaeffer) Stevens. The photo of Virginia is from her “Courier-Journal” obituary from October 5, 1960.
