Doris Maria Peifer

Aug 30 1933 – Sep 5 2026

Doris Maria Peifer passed away peacefully in the morning hours of September 5, 2026 in her apartment at The Harmony in Columbia SC with her daughter Natasha at her side.

Doris was the third child of Georg and Maria (née Jaeger) Rosenbusch, and maintained lifelong close relations with her four sisters Erika Gross (Willi), Lore Kopechek (Fritz), Inge Motzigemba (Klaus), Helga Peine (Horst), her brother Georg Rosenbusch (Renate), her sister-in-law Cathryn Hepler (Thomas), and their many children. In 1951, she met the love of her life Carl Peifer, and they shared almost sixty years of happily married life before Carl passed away days before their diamond anniversary in December 2012.

Doris and Carl enjoyed an adventurous life, living on four continents and travelling widely. They began their joint adventure in Germany where they met, then returned to the United States where Carl joined Firestone International after completing his engineering degree at Pennsylvania State University in 1954. In 1957 they began a career overseas and moved all over the world until retirement in 1992. Their three children (Virginia, Natasha, and Douglas) were all born overseas.

Doris was the consummate hostess, and delighted in showing friends and family English country homes, Switzerland’s natural beauty, and the cultural treasures of Italy, France, and Belgium. She loved learning about the history and culture of each country they lived in, and the Peifer door was always open to relatives, friends and college travelers. She was proud to be elected president of the American Women’s Association of Rome during her time in Italy, a position that entailed representing the association at multiple social and diplomatic forums.

Carl and Doris retired to North Canton Ohio in 1992, where they became very active supporting the Symphony League, organizing bridge tournaments, and hosting wonderful family Thanksgivings and Christmases.

Doris is survived by her children Virginia Maria Green (Gary), Natasha Doris Peifer-Soder (Mark, Herb), and Douglas Carl Peifer (Elizabeth). Doris was beloved by her seven grandchildren Tania Shelley (Sean), Nicholas Green (Elizabeth), Taryn Watts (Kyle), Justin Peifer (Olha), James Peifer, Killian Peifer, and Frederick Peifer; and seven great grandchildren.

Doris will be laid to rest at Sunset Hills Memory Gardens in Jackson Township, Ohio. The memorial service will be held at Transfiguration Catholic Church in Blythewood SC with Rev. James McKenna, SDB officiating on Saturday, September 26 at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made to Hearts and Heroes Homecare at https://heartandheroes.info/