Darrell LeRoy Loffer

Darrell LeRoy Loffer was born in Whitewood SD on January 25th 1927 to Clyde and Jennie Loffer, the 7th of 9 children. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Washington State, where he attended school in Auburn meeting his future bride Mildred “Cupie” Riddell on a blind date.

Darrell left high school his senior year to join the Navy and serve in World War II. He served on Troop Transport ships, earning the rank of Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class, before being Honorably Discharged in August 1946. Upon his return, he completed High School and married the love of his life on January 25th 1947, as that was easy date for him to remember.

The couple lived in Auburn, where they welcomed their first child, Darelee, in March 1948. The new family moved to Bellevue to purchase their first home and to be closer to Darrell’s job at Northern Wholesale Hardware in Seattle. In June 1951, their son, Mark, was born.

Darrell’s career in furniture began when he took a job with Holman’s Furniture and Hardware in Auburn in 1954. During his career, he was a partner in Van’s Furniture before fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening his own furniture store, “Loffer’s Fine Furniture”. This career in furniture spanned some 52 years before he retired at age 76.

Darrell was an active member of Auburn Jaycees, Toastmasters and Rotary. During his Rotary service, Darrell was a member of the committee that worked to bring Fire Medics (EMTs) to the valley. This led to his being named Auburn’s Citizen of the Year and to several years serving as president of the Auburn Fire Medic Assn.

The family’s love of camping eventually led to the construction of a family cabin in Packwood in 1963, a legacy for generations to enjoy. Having the cabin allowed Darrell to perfect the art of pancake making and to indulge in his love of fishing and woodcutting, which he believed was leisure activity, much to the family’s chagrin. Darrell and Cupie had the good fortune to travel and cruise extensively during their 67 years of marriage, but their favorite port of call was always the cabin.

Darrell is survived by wife, Cupie; sisters, Alta (Leo) Walton and Reva Broadbent; daughter, Darelee Phillips; son, Mark (Pat) Loffer; grandchildren, Darren (Tammie) Avise, Chad (Heather) Avise, Chantelle Loffer Guzman; great-grandchildren, Sidney, Hallie, Porter, Brady, Kelan and Connor.

Our lives are forever richer for having known this loving, devoted family man.