Leo John Kipfmueller, age 76, of Fife Lake, passed away after a brief illness on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006, at the Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
Leo was born in Owosso on June 3, 1930, the son of Karl and Agnes Kipfmueller. Raised in Mt. Pleasant, Leo graduated from the Sacred Heart Academy High School, Central Michigan University and the University of Michigan. Leo gained the rank of Airman First Class in the U.S. Air Force where he served as a combat photographer during the Korean Conflict from 1951 to 1963. He was stationed in Seoul, Korea.
Leo married Patricia Aldridge at St. Francis De Salle Church in Detroit on June 15, 1957. Pat and Leo resided in various places in Michigan and settled in Mt. Pleasant in 1968. Leo and Pat made Fife Lake their permanent residence in 1997 following his retirement from CMU.
Leo was a communications disorders professor at CMU for 24 years. During his tenure at CMU, he was honored as “Teacher of the Year.” When Leo retired in 1992, he was granted the distinction of Professor Emeritus. Leo also spend 33 years working in the CMU Summer Remedial Clinics as a speech therapist and was the director for seven years.
Leo was a lifetime member of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, the American Speech and Hearing Association and the Michigan Speech and Hearing Association. He was also a member of the American Legion and Sacred Heart and St. Aloysius Parishes.
Leo is survived by daughters, Mary (Mike) Kattreh of Blanchard, Marta (Barney) Theisen of Grosse Pointe Park, Meg (Rich) Delor of St. Clair Shores; sons, Karl (Dan Myers) Kipfmueller of Brooklyn, N.Y., Dave Kipfmueller of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Paul (Lillian) Kipfmueller of Grosse Point and Kurt (Kara) Kipfmueller of St. Paul, Minn. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Ryan and Zachary Robinson, Allison Kettreh, Caitlin, Amelia and Hayley Theisen, Kaylee and Caden Kipfmueller, and Siebrand and John Walter Kipfmueller. Additionally, he is survived by his brother Mark (Mame) Kipfmueller of Whitefish Bay, Wisc., along wit several nieces and nephews.
Leo was predeceased by his wife, Patricia, his parents, Karl and Agnes Kipfmueller, his son, John Leo Kipfmueller and his sister, Kathleen Recker.
Vistiation will be on Monday, Sept. 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. and on Tuesday, Sept. 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. with a vigil service at 7 p.m. at the Wolfe-O’Neill Funeral Home in Kalkaska.
Funeral services will be held at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Fife Lake on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 11 a.m. with Father James Barrand officiating. Interment will take place at the St. Aloysius Cemetery in Fife Lake at a later date.
