Edward H. Kiefer, 89, formerly of Asbury, died Sunday, January 24, 2021, at Stonehill Care Center.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2021, at Church of the Resurrection from 9:30 am until the time of mass at 10:30 am.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Edward will be 10:30 am Thursday, January 28, 2021, at Church of the Resurrection with Father Phil Gibbs as the Celebrant. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery.  Due to the statewide mask mandate, masks are required at the church.  Please respect our current social distancing requirements. If you are not feeling well or are unable to attend, we encourage you to visit www.hskfhcares.com to send a message to Edward’s family. The mass will be live streamed on Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home’s Facebook page and will also be available to view later at www.hskfhcares.com.

Ed was born at his grandparents’ house in Evansville, Indiana, by coal lamp during a power outage, Oct. 2, 1931, to Edward A. and Mona E. (Leinenbach) Kiefer. He graduated from Reitz Memorial High School in Evansville in 1949.

He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1955 as a B-29 propeller mechanic. Before and after his military service, he worked with his father at Kiefer Amusement Co. in Henderson, Kentucky.

While stationed at Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois, Ed met Kathleen Currie at a USO dance; they were married on Nov. 26, 1955, at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Belleville. They were married for 62 years, until her death in 2018.

In January 1961, Ed received an associate of science degree in tool and gauge design from Lain Technical Institute, and he began his career at John Deere Dubuque Works that same month. He officially retired in 1994 as an advanced designer in product engineering, but he came out of retirement for a few stints after that. While working at John Deere, Ed co-invented two patented devices (a safety warning device and a backhoe cab window storage mechanism). He said he could have gotten other patents, but the paperwork was too much of a bother.

Ed was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers; American Legion Post 0656; Resurrection Parish since 1967; and he was a past member of the Knights of Columbus.

Ed was a big Notre Dame fan, cheering them onward to victory many times for many years. He enjoyed woodworking and had a knack for fixing things, including cars, appliances, pinball machines, and jukeboxes. He was known for taking his time finishing projects, saying it gave him satisfaction.

He enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s sporting events and other activities.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife, Katie; his brother-in-law, Patrick Currie; his brother-in-law, Donald Tepool; his son-in-law, Tom Hilby; and a niece, Chrissy Mennes.

He is survived by six children: Ann (Al) Kirschbaum of Bloomington, Wisconsin; Eddie P. Kiefer of Eagan, Minnesota; Karen (Frank) Kilcoyne of Lancaster, Wisconsin; Cheryl Hilby of Cuba City, Wisconsin; Janet Kiefer of Dubuque; and Mike (Wendy) Kiefer of Dubuque; 10 grandchildren: Andy (Charlotte) Kilcoyne, Amanda (Justin) Abing, Alyssa Kilcoyne; Adam (Elaine) Hilby, Katie Hilby, Emily (fiancé Austin Kilburg) Hilby, Jeremy (Brianna) Kirschbaum, Nathan Kirschbaum, Ella Kiefer, and Anthony Kiefer; and four great-grandchildren (Hunter, Haileigh, and Hannah Abing and Stella Kilcoyne); his sisters Andrea Tepool and Ramona (David) Paul of Evansville, and a brother, Roger “Podge” (Suzanne) Kiefer of Evansville; as well as other in-laws and nieces and nephews.

Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in care of the arrangements.

A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences can be sent to the family by visiting Edward’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.