Donald Dean Kleopfer, 96, died Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in Williamsburg. He was born Jan. 27, 1923, near Ramona, Kansas, the son of Dr. George Henry and Mary Lillian (Poe) Kleopfer.
He graduated from Ramona High School in 1941 and entered the U.S. Army in 1942. He was a World War II veteran who served three years in the 309th Medical Battalion of the 84th Infantry Division in the European Theater of Operations in the Battle of Central Europe, The Rhineland and the Ardennes in Belgium.
He had been a resident of Newport News since 1964. Mr. Kleopfer was employed by the Naval Air Warfare Center, Point Mugu, California, until his retirement in January 1994 after 29 years of service with the Department of the Navy. During this time, he was assigned to the Commander Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet Staff, NAS Norfolk as a training instructor and logistics manager of aerial targets.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George H. Kleopfer and Mary Poe Kleopfer; wife, Julia Corinne Moffitt Kleopfer in 1989, daughter of Dr. James and Nellie Moffitt of Tampa, Kansas; and daughter, Barbara Lynn Kleopfer of Williamsburg in 2007. He is the last of nine siblings: Harvey, George, Harold, Newton, Milo Kleopfer, Evangeline Miller, Ramona Marion, Berneda Moore and Winifred Engle.
Survivors include his three children, Carolyn K. Davis, C. Annette Minter and John D. Kleopfer; two grandchildren, Michael Minter of Williamsburg and John Minter, and his wife, Molly, U.S. Army, Fort. Stewart, Georgia; two great-grandchildren, Jackson and Morgan Minter; and dog, Charlie.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m., Friday, Aug. 23, at St. Jerome Catholic Church with the Rev. George Prado officiating. Interment will follow in Peninsula Memorial Park with military honors. The family will receive visitors at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. A reception will follow interment at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
