Daniel J Kieffer III

Evansville - Dan was born in Somerset, PA and moved to South Bend, IN where he grew up with his parents and sister Patty. He graduated from Washington High School and went on to attend Purdue University, where he obtained his degree in Graphic Engineering and met and married his true love Suzy and started his family. After graduation, they moved to Waukegan, IL where he worked as a Development Engineer Industrial Design Liaison for Outboard Marine Corp/Johnson Motors, Evinrude designing outboard boat motors. In 1963 he moved his family to Muncie, IN and began work at Ball Corporation as their Chief Industrial Designer. Among the many things he did there was design the original Gatorade bottle, Bac-Os jar and Cap'n Crunch cereal bowls and manage their Corporate Identity program. He was also involved with the design and graphics when building the new location of his Unitarian/Universal Church. He was active in the Art Director's Club of Indiana serving as their President for a year, winning awards and arranging speaking events for such people as photographer/biologist Roman Vishniac and Pablo Picasso's son Claude. After leaving Ball Corporation in 1977, he worked at Groves & Associates Advertising Agency in Muncie as their Vice President and Senior Art Director. In 1979 he moved to Evansville, IN to become a Design Director, Graphics Manager and Art Buyer at Keller Crescent Advertising Agency where he worked until 1990. During this time he was also active with the Repertory People of Evansville (RPE), designing theatre sets and their logo. He also did Higher Education Sales at Micro Computer Associates as well as freelance graphic design for his own KiefferDesign. In 1997 he began work for the Evansville Courier & Press as a Graphic Designer until his retirement in 2007. In 1981, he joined both Germania Maennerchor and the German brass band Rhein Valley Brass. He was very active at Germania Maennerchor, singing in their choir and playing trumpet in the RVB for the next 39 years.

A lifelong lover of all types of music, he played trumpet from an early age; first in jazz combos while in high school, then for Purdue's marching band prior to his longtime position with the Rhein Valley Brass. A kind and generous man, his interests were broad and varied. He loved meeting people and showed great interest in all he met. He had an easy, warm smile that he would share freely. He never spoke badly of anyone.

He was preceded in death by his parents Daniel Jacob Kieffer Jr. and Irene Laverne Kieffer (née Baer) and his wife of 57 years Suzanne Eleanor Kieffer (née Hays).

He is survived by his sister Patricia Ann Lafferty (Greg) (née Kieffer); daughter Laura Louise Kieffer and her children Quinn Stanford Kieffer-Wright and Claire Lucille Kieffer-Wright; his son Daniel John Kieffer IV (Kimberly); his nephew Gregory Alan Lafferty and his nieces Kimberly Ann Susdorf (Jeff) (née Lafferty) and her children Steven, Gary and Justin; Dianne Kay Neely (Jeff) (née Lafferty) and her children Amanda and Jenna; and Holly Lynn Howe (Edward) (née Lafferty) and her children Kieffer Irene, Edward Gardiner and Charles Oliver; and his nieces' children's 11 children Jason, Jacob and Sadie; Brooklyn, Benjamin and Brady; Noah, Adelynn, Neely and Leo; and Isaiah.

Simple Cremation Evansville is entrusted with care.

04/05/2020 JFC