John Turney Liipfert, Sr., age 75 of Lewes, Delaware, passed away on Saturday, December 24, 2022, at Beebe Healthcare, in Lewes, Delaware, with his wife, Mary and caretaker Kathy by his side. He was born on February 15, 1947, in Washington, DC, son of the late Eugene T. and Anne (Turney) Liipfert.
Mr. Liipfert earned a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College in 1969. While working toward his academic degree, he enrolled in the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant at graduation and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. Mr. Liipfert was awarded a bronze star for bravery in Vietnam. After his honorable discharge, he built a career in insurance and marketing.
On August 1, 1969, Mr. Liipfert married the love of his life, Mary Matan, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and together they enjoyed 53 years of marriage. He had many and varied interests and hobbies, including RV’ing across country with Mary, playing bridge with his Lewes friends and playing guitar and singing folk songs with friends around the campfire. Mr. Liipfert’ s next greatest love was for flying, which he had to stop due to his MS diagnosis.
He was a longtime parishioner at Holy Redeemer Church in Kensington, Maryland, as well as a docent at the Cannonball House for the Lewes Historical Society. Mr. Liipfert and his wife, Mary, also enjoyed delivering Meals on Wheels in Lewes. Time spent with his family was what he treasured more than anything. Mr. Liipfert was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Loved by many, he will be deeply missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Matan Liipfert, his daughter, Carrie Anne Messina (Matthew), his son, John Turney Liipfert, Jr. (Sarah Hammond); his grandchildren: John Patrick Caulfield Scanlon, and James Draper Messina; his brother, Christian Liipfert (Pamela), his niece, Jocelyn Liipfert Lam (Paul), and his nephew, Todd Liipfert (Taylor); all the extended Matan family, and caretaker, Kathy Bennett. The Liipfert family would like to thank all the kind caregivers at Harbor Health Care.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday January 13, 2022, at 1:00 PM at St. Edmond Catholic Church, 409 King Charles Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE, where friends may visit beginning at 12:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to National Multiple Sclerosis Society https://mssociety.donordrive.com/campaign/John-Liipfert-Memorial.