Jay Kipfer

Jay D. Kipfer, 88, of Bluffton passed away Friday, June 18, 2021, at Christian Care Retirement Community in Bluffton. He was born May 12, 1933, in Bluffton to Herman W. and Gladys M. (Mayer) Kipfer. He was married December 2, 1956, in Bluffton to Dorothy L. “Dot” Baumgartner.
A 1951 graduate of Bluffton High School, he was the valedictorian of his class. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving from 1952 to 1954 during the Korean War, stationed in Germany. Upon his return, he attended and graduated from International Business College while living in Fort Wayne. He was the controller at National Oil and Gas for 55 years retiring in 2010. He was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church where he served as song leader for many years. He was also an avid stamp and coin collector and loved to travel. He had a special fondness for Switzerland and would travel to Europe and Mexico many times during his lifetime.
During his retirement years, he continued to enjoy traveling, playing dominos and visiting with family and friends. He remained an active member of The Old Fort Coin Club and a lifelong Brooklyn/LA Dodgers fan. He authentically enjoyed meeting people and making people feel at home with casual conversation, humor and political insight. He will be remembered as an unabashedly generous, thoughtful man who loved his family and friends.
He is survived by his two daughters, Gloria (Franchon) Smithson of Westport, Connecticut; and Sheryl (Mark Longenberger) Mayne of Bluffton; son, Kurt (Ingrid) Kipfer of Carmel; five grandchildren, Kellen Smithson; Kait Smithson (Anastasiya Turyna); Chris Mayne; Heather (Trent) Skaggs; and Rori Kipfer; four great-grandchildren, Isabelle Stout; Croy Stout; Hudson Skaggs; and Nora Skaggs; brother, Ned (Dixie) Kipfer of Bluffton; two sisters, Karyl (Elim) Smith of Warsaw; and Nondes Costello of St. Ann, Missouri; and sister-in-law, Karen Kipfer of Lima, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife on October 22, 2014; two brothers, Tom and William “Bill” Kipfer; son-in-law, Mike Mayne; and brother-in-law, Frank Costello.
Visitation will be Wednesday, June 23 from 3-8 p.m. at Goodwin – Cale & Harnish Memorial Chapel in Bluffton and one hour prior to the 10 a.m. funeral service Thursday, June 24 at Bluffton North Apostolic Christian Church. Officiating will be Ron Kipfer and Preston Kaehr. Burial will be at the Apostolic Christian Cemetery in Adams County.
Memorials may be made to Christian Care Retirement Community or Visiting Nurse and Hospice.
Arrangements provided by Goodwin-Cale & Harnish Memorial Chapel in Bluffton. Online condolences may be made at www.goodwincaleharnish.com.