Our hearts are broken as we share that Carolyn Ann Finney Schaeffler passed away on October 20, 2025, far too soon. She fought a brave battle in the final months of her life and remained the very embodiment of grace and kindness until her final breath.

Ann was born on June 20, 1951 to Martin Sheldon Finney and Nelta May Locke, somewhere between Brewster and Presidio counties, impatient to meet the world and arriving quickly on the way to the hospital. She joined her loving siblings Peggy, Pat, and Martin, later welcoming sisters Janet and Nell into the family fold.

Ann’s call to serve others came early. At just fifteen, she began her first candy-striping job at the hospital in Alpine, Texas, a spark that would ignite a lifelong dedication to nursing and public service. She graduated from Alpine High School in 1969 and attended Sul Ross State University. She went on to become a licensed vocational nurse and later a registered nurse. Between raising children and caring for others, she still found time to pursue higher education, earning both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Angelo State University in 1997 and her Master of Nursing degree from Walden University in 2010, alongside her lifelong best friend, Sara. Ann embodied the spirit of a lifelong learner, always seeking new knowledge and training to provide the very best care to her patients.

After a long and distinguished career, Ann retired in 2013 from Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine, Texas. She was beloved by her colleagues and patients alike for her steady, compassionate presence, particularly in the emergency room, where her calm and reassuring manner brought comfort during patient’s most difficult moments. Her intuition, combined with exceptional skill and deep empathy, made her one of the very best nurses you could ever hope to find.

Ann cared for others not only through her nursing profession but through her cooking, which was her love language. She could prepare a meal that rivaled any five-star restaurant, yet it was the warmth of her hospitality that made each gathering unforgettable. When you sat at Ann’s table, you left with both your stomach and your spirit full. You were never a stranger in her home, she was truly the heart and soul of her family. Ann had a love for all animals. She cared for numerous pets, including horses, cats, dogs, chickens, goats, exotic birds, and any other creature needing food, shelter, and love.

She was a devoted mother to Kenneth Martin Clouse, Scarlet Michele Clouse, Emerald Grace Schaeffler-Kennedy, and Lance Zane Schaeffler, and a joyful, loving “Nana” to Grayson Thomas Anderson, Sydney Anne Anderson, Zion Avery Schaeffler, and Ronan Brooks Kennedy, her beloved “Magnificent Eight.” Her family was her greatest joy and her proudest accomplishment. Everything she did, she did for them, selflessly.

Ann leaves behind a legacy of kindness, courage, strength, and love that will never fade. She walked faithfully in God’s light and taught all who knew her the importance of integrity, loyalty, and compassion. Her wisdom shone through in the advice she offered to friends and family members facing hard times, and her presence could steady even the stormiest hearts. We will miss her smile, her strength, her humor, and the way she made everyone feel seen and cared for. Her spirit will live on in the countless lives she touched and the deep love she gave to those she loved.

She is survived by her husband, Vance Edward Schaeffler; her children, Kenneth and Dawn, Scarlet and Wendall, Emerald and Philip, and Lance; her grandchildren, Grayson and Sarah, Sydney, Zion, Ronan, Bonnie, Josh and Harvey, McKeeley, and Charlie; her brother, Martin; her sisters, Pat, Janet, and Nell; and many cherished cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is welcomed to heaven by her father, Sheldon; her mother, May; and her sister, Peggy, her beloved baby Gene and baby Hayes who left this world way too soon.