Obituary of Albert F. Kipfer Jr

Albert F. Kipfer Jr, 86, passed away on October 3, 2018. He was born June 15, 1932 in Rome, the eldest of Albert Sr. and Helen (Anken) Kipfer. His education began in the modest one room schoolhouse, Canterbury Hill Rd School, and in 1950 he graduated from Rome Free Academy. In 1957 he was married to Joan Masner with whom he had 4 children. They were divorced in 2000 and in 2011 he married Myrtle Delaney. Albert was the epitome of hard work and determination. He was steadfast and patient, rarely losing his temper. He transformed his parents' small dairy farm into one of the most state of the art progressive dairies of the 70's and 80's. AlKip Farm boasted one of Oneida County's first milking parlors, installed in the late 1960's. At its prime this dairy was milking upwards of 200 cows and was raising its own registered Holstein replacement heifers. As if working tirelessly on his family dairy wasn't enough, Albert found time and energy to be an active, devoted member of his community. His farm business parlayed him into membership of the Farm Bureau. He was a member and chairman of the American Dairy Association and a member of the Northeast Dairy Herd Improvement Association. There was also time spent as president and secretary of the Boonville Milk Cooperative as well as GLF chairman of the Rome Committee. He was part of the Agway Council of Syracuse and a member of NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business.) He was a member of the National Chamber of Commerce and Al also served on the Farm Credit Advisory Committee. His community interests extended to his lifetime membership to Trinity United Church of Christ. He spent time on the church council and sang in the church choir for 50 years! He was busy with Town of Western politics too, spending time as town councilman and as zoning board consult. Al was a life member of Elks # 96 and he was a Mason in Baron Steuben #0264. He also served as trustee for the Wright Settlement Cemetery Association. For close to 60 years Al was a snowplowing contractor diligently tending to his business and residential customers at all hours of the night, while never neglecting or shirking his daily farm duties. His personal pride of accomplishment could be seen in his fleet of "school bus yellow" Ford pickup trucks and his arsenal of farm equipment, notably his John Deere tractors. Al Kipfer is synonymous with stamina and respect, lending pride, success and humility to his lifelong edeavors. Al his survived by his wife Myrtle, Town of Lee; 3 daughters, Jackie (Anthony) Maggio, Town of Western, Judy Asker, Town of Lee and Karen (Scott) Olney, Town of Western; a step daughter Thea Molnar, Oneida; 11 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Art Lyman, Rome; a brother and sister-in-law, Bud and Kelley, Florida; and several cherished nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son Bruce (1987), his son-in-law Moe Asker Jr. (2001) and his sister Rosalie Lauber (2016.) Donations can be made in Al's memory to The Westernville Cemetery Association or The Wright Settlement Cemetery Association. All are invited to call Sunday, October 7, 2018 from 4-7pm at Strong-Burns & Sprock Funeral Home, 7751 Merrick Rd. Rome. Funeral services will be held at 10am Monday at the funeral home followed by burial in Westernville Cemetery. The family thanks the RHCF & PCU staff at Rome Hospital and Dr. Emerick for their compassionate care during this difficult time.