Eugene "Gene" Kiefer

Eugene “Gene” Kiefer, 89, passed away May 14, 2011. He was born September 7, 1921 in Oberndorf, Germany to Ernst and Berta (Gommeringer) Kiefer. Gene started his service to our country in the Navy ROTC at the University of Oklahoma. He later joined the U.S. Army Air Corp and retired as a Major from the U.S. Air Force after 39 years of dedicated military service. Gene was an avid swimmer. He was on the Classen High School and OU swim teams. Some of his grandchildren’s fondest memories are of him teaching all of them to swim. Gene was a long time member of Zion and Messiah Lutheran Churches where he served in many capacities over the years. He retired from ISO after more than 30 years of service. Gene was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Mildred; his daughter, Karen Woodward and her husband, Phil; son, Craig Kiefer and his wife, Melinda; grandchildren, David Woodward, Wesley Woodward and his wife, Laura, Kristin Gallon and her husband, John, Keleigh Clark and her husband, Chad, Zachary Kiefer, Katie Gully and her husband, Matt and Korey Kiefer; great grandchildren, Kayden, Sutton, Cooper, Mattie and Carigan, who will be joining them soon. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at Messiah Lutheran Church with interment following in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Arrangements under the direction of Chapel Hill Funeral Home, Oklahoma City, OK.

High Flight

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings:

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew.

And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

By John Gillespie Magee, Jr.