Don Neifer (a.k.a. Donnie if you are a 1966 Otsego grad) was a 20 year cancer survivor. He was told in the spring that his treatments were no longer effective and four months later was told he had ALS. He passed on November 24 at Bridge Hospice where he had been admitted the previous day.
Don was born in Bowling Green to Carl and Margaret Neifer. Although he would have been 73 in early December, I think he took comfort in knowing he was still younger that his wife by six months. He loved growing up on a farm and helping his dad with farming.
He was an Otsego grad as well as graduating from Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) with a degree in business and psychology. In December of 1969 his birthdate won the not-so-lucky number 10. He was trained as a medic and was assigned to an army base in Stuttgart, Germany. While being processed, his group was asked if any of them had a degree in psychology and hesitated, but raised his hand. That was the last day he wore a uniform and he was assigned as an assistant director of the youth activity center on base. His lottery number was not-so-unlucky after all. Later that year, he married his fiancé Cathi Heyman in Basal, Switzerland and they celebrated their 50th anniversary on November 2.
After being discharged, he worked in management for K-Mart and moved to Grand Haven, Michigan where their son, Chad, was born. Not wanting to be transferred again, he took a position with Cain’s in 1977 and returned to Bowling Green. After Cain’s closed in 1992, he worked for Pahl Builders and then created his own painting and wallpapering business, A Brush with Perfection. After his cancer diagnosis, he knew he needed a less strenuous job and was hired at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church as their Parish Administration where he also became very involved in community service. He received outstanding volunteer awards from the Cocoon Shelter, the Salvation Army and the Gleaners and he was a volunteer with Bridge Hospice. A strong supporter of the Relay for Life, he won the Miss Relay contest multiple times with fashion help from Sandy Tolbert. He was a former chair of the Wood County Continuum of Care (formerly called Home Aid) and was very proud of helping to organize Project Connect. Don retired from St. Mark’s in 2014. A year later, he joined the “Wolf Gang” at Wolf’s Blooms and Berries where his harem of “work wives” affectionately called him the “Dirt Guy.”
He was an avid Bengals fan as well as a Michigan fan. He built numerous doll houses and gave them to friends, family and also to the Elmwood Elementary Relay for Life team as a fundraiser. He and Cathi enjoyed travelling in Europe, their time share in Cancun and many road trips in their retirement. He loved working and nurturing the many plantings in their yard and relaxing on the deck and enjoying the view.
Don his survived by Cathi (wife) and Chad (son) as well as his mother, brother David and his children Mike and Susan, brothers-in-laws Jon Heyman and Marty Heyman and his children Jason, Chris and Keith, and Jennifer. He was preceded in death by his father and infant daughter Jenna.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at St. Mark’s on Saturday, December 11 at 10:30 am with Pastor Rob Spicer officiating. There will be no visitation prior to the service, but a “Coffee, Cookie and Memory Hour” will be held after the service. Please dress casually. Masks required. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Dunn Funeral Home in Bowling Green.
