Retired Navy Cmdr. Robert Clark Schaeffer, 67, who was well known for his work as president of the Anne Arundel Taxpayers Association and for writing a local newspaper column, died of heart disease May 15 at Anne Arundel Medical Center.

With the taxpayers organization, Cmdr. Schaeffer overcame significant resistance and worked to bring fiscally responsible government to the county, which has continued to prosper since a property tax cap was instituted in the 1990s, his family said.

He was most recently associated with his work as author of the column, "The Relative Truth," which was published monthly in The Severna Park Voice.

Born in Bradford, Pa., on April 5, 1939, he was the son of the late Robert Clark and Joan Fremouw Schaeffer. A three-sport varsity letter man in high school in Roanoke, Va., he attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and enlisted in the Navy, serving on various combat vessels in the Atlantic and Mediterrarean areas and becoming a quartermaster first class petty officer.

Following his honorable discharge, he received a bachelor of arts in history from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, where he was vice president of the student body and played basketball.

After completing Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned an ensign and then during the next 20 years served in various leadership roles on both east and west coast naval ships. He was selected to attend destroyer school, reserved at the time for the best officers in the surface fleet.

In 1971 he moved to San Diego and served on the USS Bronstein, completing a tour of duty in Vietnam, and then aboard the USSAlamo for a second Vietnam tour. His last ship was the USS Sterret where he was chief engineer. Subsequently he completed a master's degree in international affairs with an emphasis on the Middle East at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif.

In 1981 he returned to Maryland, and worked at the Pentagon, using his experience in the Middle East in Navy Plans and Policy. The last six years of his career he taught at the Naval Academy, introducing a course of study in Middle Eastern affairs which is now required of all midshipmen.

Cmdr. Schaefer was considered an artist, athlete, leader, teacher, avid reader, sailor and sports enthusiast, who also studied the Bible and theological literature.

Surviving are his wife, Brenda Dellinger Schaeffer, whom he married on Aug. 27, 1966; two sons, Kerry and Keehln Powell; a sister, Jill Newton; and five grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Fort Meade Post Chapel. Burial will be in North Carolina. Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com. As published in "The Capital Newspaper" Annapolis, MD 05/17/2006