1922
Thomas
2016
Thomas Stoffer
December 21, 1922 — January 14, 2016
Thomas Lawrence Stoffer, 93, of Ashland, passed away at Belmont Tower in Brethren Care Village January 14, 2016.
He was born in Homeworth, Ohio, Dec. 21, 1922, to Paul Lawrence and Lavenia Belle (née Daugherty) Stoffer. He graduated from Alliance High School in 1940 and attended Ashland College 1940-43, 1946. He served with the Fifth Infantry Division during World War II (1944-45), which was attached to George Patton's Third Army during the Battle of the Bulge. Upon returning to the States, he completed his studies at Ashland College, earning a BA degree in History in 1946, and then completed a JD degree at Western Reserve University Law School in 1948.
On August 18, 1946, he married Donna R. Rupert, a 1943 graduate of Ashland College. During his studies at Western Reserve University, he worked for the Telling-Belle Vernon Company, a dairy in Cleveland. In 1949 Thomas began a 36-year career with Nationwide Insurance, known at the time as Farm Bureau Mutual. He worked as a Claims Attorney in the New Haven, Connecticut, office from 1951 to 1962, and as a Regional Claims Attorney in the Canton, Ohio, office from 1962 until his retirement in 1985. He was also an adjunct instructor at Akron University from 1965 to 1970, teaching economics, business law, and CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter) Insurance courses. His professional associations and memberships included admittance to the practice of law in the State of Ohio (1948), state and local Bar Associations, Insurance Institute of America (IIA) (1955), CPCU (1961), and Society of CPCU (1961). He and Donna retired to Ashland, OH, in 1986 in order to be close to their family and many friends in the area.
Thomas had a distinguished record of service to the Brethren Church. He was an active member of both the Canton Trinity and (Ashland) Garber Brethren Churches; he and Donna ministered at both churches as deacons and Sunday School teachers. He served the Ohio Conference of the Brethren Church as treasurer and member of the executive committee from 1965 to 1991. At the denominational level he was a member of the Missionary Board of the Brethren Church from 1967 to 1976 and from 1977 to 1986 and served as its president from 1975 to 1976 and again from 1981 to 1986. He served as a member (1987-2006) and treasurer of the Board of Directors for Brethren Care, Inc. of Ashland, and as a member and president of the Board of Directors of the Carpenter's Shop in Ashland, a full-line Christian bookstore.
He was also dedicated to the mission of Ashland University, and in 1966 he began a 34-year period of service on the Board of Trustees of Ashland College/University. From 1973 until 2001 he served as its Vice-President/Chairman and from 1971 until 2001 as the President of the Seminary Committee of the Board. In addition, Thomas served on the Board of Trustees of Echoing Hills Village, Inc., of Warsaw, Ohio, which provides intermediate care facilities for the developmentally handicapped as well as semi-independent living and camp programs.
Thomas enjoyed singing; he was a member of the University Glee Club of New Haven, Connecticut, and of church choirs in Canton and Ashland. He and Donna took advantage of their retirement years to go on several tours to Europe and one to the Holy Land. He instilled in his children a love of travelling, hiking, camping, and gardening. He was a generous man; besides putting his own children through college, three of whom attended Ashland College and one who attended Capital University, he also provided scholarships to young people at his Canton church who wanted to attend Ashland College. He displayed a quick wit and enjoyed teasing his family and friends. He was a man of great integrity and sought to live his life as a testimony to his faith in Jesus Christ.
He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Donna Rupert; son, Richard (Cathy) Stoffer; son, Dale (Marcia) Stoffer; daughter, Sue Ellen (Bruce) Ronk, all of Ashland; and daughter, Sharon (Herb) Matyas of North Prairie, Wisconsin; sister, Ellen (Ray) Sluss of Sebring, Ohio; brother, Robert (Joanne) Stoffer of Gainesville, Georgia; 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1944 and his mother in 1996.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. and the funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2016, at Park Street Brethren Church with Pastor Nate Bebout officiating. Interment will be in Ashland County Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to the Thomas and Donna Stoffer Endowed Scholarship at Ashland Theological Seminary, 910 Center St., Ashland, OH 44805.
Roberts Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements.
He was born in Homeworth, Ohio, Dec. 21, 1922, to Paul Lawrence and Lavenia Belle (née Daugherty) Stoffer. He graduated from Alliance High School in 1940 and attended Ashland College 1940-43, 1946. He served with the Fifth Infantry Division during World War II (1944-45), which was attached to George Patton's Third Army during the Battle of the Bulge. Upon returning to the States, he completed his studies at Ashland College, earning a BA degree in History in 1946, and then completed a JD degree at Western Reserve University Law School in 1948.
On August 18, 1946, he married Donna R. Rupert, a 1943 graduate of Ashland College. During his studies at Western Reserve University, he worked for the Telling-Belle Vernon Company, a dairy in Cleveland. In 1949 Thomas began a 36-year career with Nationwide Insurance, known at the time as Farm Bureau Mutual. He worked as a Claims Attorney in the New Haven, Connecticut, office from 1951 to 1962, and as a Regional Claims Attorney in the Canton, Ohio, office from 1962 until his retirement in 1985. He was also an adjunct instructor at Akron University from 1965 to 1970, teaching economics, business law, and CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter) Insurance courses. His professional associations and memberships included admittance to the practice of law in the State of Ohio (1948), state and local Bar Associations, Insurance Institute of America (IIA) (1955), CPCU (1961), and Society of CPCU (1961). He and Donna retired to Ashland, OH, in 1986 in order to be close to their family and many friends in the area.
Thomas had a distinguished record of service to the Brethren Church. He was an active member of both the Canton Trinity and (Ashland) Garber Brethren Churches; he and Donna ministered at both churches as deacons and Sunday School teachers. He served the Ohio Conference of the Brethren Church as treasurer and member of the executive committee from 1965 to 1991. At the denominational level he was a member of the Missionary Board of the Brethren Church from 1967 to 1976 and from 1977 to 1986 and served as its president from 1975 to 1976 and again from 1981 to 1986. He served as a member (1987-2006) and treasurer of the Board of Directors for Brethren Care, Inc. of Ashland, and as a member and president of the Board of Directors of the Carpenter's Shop in Ashland, a full-line Christian bookstore.
He was also dedicated to the mission of Ashland University, and in 1966 he began a 34-year period of service on the Board of Trustees of Ashland College/University. From 1973 until 2001 he served as its Vice-President/Chairman and from 1971 until 2001 as the President of the Seminary Committee of the Board. In addition, Thomas served on the Board of Trustees of Echoing Hills Village, Inc., of Warsaw, Ohio, which provides intermediate care facilities for the developmentally handicapped as well as semi-independent living and camp programs.
Thomas enjoyed singing; he was a member of the University Glee Club of New Haven, Connecticut, and of church choirs in Canton and Ashland. He and Donna took advantage of their retirement years to go on several tours to Europe and one to the Holy Land. He instilled in his children a love of travelling, hiking, camping, and gardening. He was a generous man; besides putting his own children through college, three of whom attended Ashland College and one who attended Capital University, he also provided scholarships to young people at his Canton church who wanted to attend Ashland College. He displayed a quick wit and enjoyed teasing his family and friends. He was a man of great integrity and sought to live his life as a testimony to his faith in Jesus Christ.
He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Donna Rupert; son, Richard (Cathy) Stoffer; son, Dale (Marcia) Stoffer; daughter, Sue Ellen (Bruce) Ronk, all of Ashland; and daughter, Sharon (Herb) Matyas of North Prairie, Wisconsin; sister, Ellen (Ray) Sluss of Sebring, Ohio; brother, Robert (Joanne) Stoffer of Gainesville, Georgia; 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1944 and his mother in 1996.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. and the funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2016, at Park Street Brethren Church with Pastor Nate Bebout officiating. Interment will be in Ashland County Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to the Thomas and Donna Stoffer Endowed Scholarship at Ashland Theological Seminary, 910 Center St., Ashland, OH 44805.
Roberts Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements.
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