William E. “Bill” Giefer, 78, Erie, died Sunday, October 25, 2009, at the Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul.

He was born Jan. 18, 1931, at South Mound to Frederich “Fritz” and Corrine Johnson Giefer. He grew up on the family farm near South Mound and attended country schools and Parsons High School.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1950 to 1956, during the Korean War. He loved to fix tires, dance, tell jokes, do woodworking, bowl, play dominos and cards and golf.

From 1991 to 1995 he served on the Erie City Council.

His employment had included working at the Kansas Ordnance Plant in Parsons, working briefly in Plymouth, Mich., and driving a milk truck and working at Beard’s Service Station. From 1967 to 1987 he owned and operated Giefer’s Service Station. He also was employed at the Neosho County Highway Department, retiring in 1996.

On Oct. 16, 1954, he married Phyllis Nesbitt and they later divorced. He married Christine Jones Brooks on Aug. 11, 1983. She survives.

Other survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Teri and Dan Thurman, Erie, and Lori and Rod Nally, Erie; two stepdaughters and their husbands, Judy and Dave Marcus, Asbury, Mo., and Pam and Steve Newell, Parsons; four grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; three brothers, Fred Giefer, Greenbush, George Giefer, Springfield, Mo., and Richard Giefer, South Mound; and a sister, Dorothy Burgess, Ness City.

Preceding him in death were two brothers, John and Charles Giefer, and two sisters, Ann Richards and Betty Wass.

Funeral will be 2 p.m. Thursday at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be in East Hill Cemetery at Erie.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, where friends may call after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Contributions to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice may be left at either funeral home or mailed to Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357.