Walter R. Stauffer

STAUFFER, Walter, age 86, died August 31, 2011 at the HPH Care Center in Brooksville, FL. He was born in Trail, OH on October 9, 1924 and spent his early years on the farm with 4 sisters, a brother and Swiss immigrant parents Ernest and Frieda Stauffer, making cheese in Sugarcreek, Ohio. He was drafted at 17 before graduation into the army and served his country proudly through the battles of WWII. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, he landed on Omaha Beach when only 19. After the war, he returned home and married his one and only sweetheart, Wilma Price on 12/29/1946. He attended Ohio University, taking advantage of the GI Bill, and received a B.S. in education. Living in Canton, Ohio, he was a coach of young men to be Christian youth athletes in football, basketball and baseball and was a teacher of American and World History at Canton South and Fairless school districts. In the later years of his 37 year teaching career, in conjunction with the Ohio State Board of Education, he was instrumental in helping to create educational training programs to enable returning Vietnam veterans to find jobs. He retired to Florida in 1983 and lived in the Brookridge Community where he displayed the flags of his country and heritage proudly. He was a member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Spring Hill, FL. He enjoyed working in his yard and loved to listen and dance to the beat of polka band. He was a member of Free Mason, Canton Lodge 60, Canton, Ohio and has been an active member of Spring Hill Florida SNPJ Lodge 778 while residing in Florida. He most recently resided at the Grande in Brooksville, FL. He was preceded in death by his brother, Victor Stauffer; sisters, Violette Stauffer, Margrit Stauffer Byron and Lillian Stauffer Hertzig. He is survived by his wife, Wilma and their daughter, Debe Stauffer (Bob) Divis and their daughters, LaDonna and Kimberly of Newton, IA; their son, Timothy (Verna) Stauffer and their sons, Tim Jr., (Barb) and Chad of Fern Glen, PA; and three great grandchildren, Rhiannon Stauffer, Conner Stauffer and Kirsten Stauffer, all of Fern Glen, PA; sister Mary Stauffer (Virgil) Hiltner and their children, Eric (Bonnie) Hiltner of Canton, OH and their daughter, Tonya Hiltner (J. Adam) Oxford of Asheville NC; and son Adam J. Hiltner of VA; Peggy Hiltner of Broomfield, CO; John (Barb) Hiltner and their children Amanda And Emily of Bolivar, OH; Thomas Hiltner and his son, Victor of Santa Cruz, CA; and his nephew, Gary Byron of Brooksville, FL. A memorial  service will be held at 2:00pm, Sunday, Sept. 11 at Grace Presbyterian Church in Spring Hill. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to your local hospice.

ARRANGEMENTS BY

MERRITT FUNERAL HOME

BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA

(352) 796-6699

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