Gary Alphonse Zipfel

Gary Alphonse Zipfel Sr. was born on December 3, 1957, in Redbud, Illinois, and died after a hard-fought battle with cancer on November 7th, 2021, in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. The son of Alphonse Albert Zipfel and Francis Mae "Fanny" (Kumke) Zipfel, Gary grew up in Southern Illinois and moved with his family as a young man to St. Petersburg, Florida. During this time, Gary met the love of his life and future wife, Gail (Hill) Zipfel. A devoted husband and beloved father, grandpapa, and uncle, Gary's love for his family and adoration for his wife were apparent to anyone who met him. His kind and generous nature also extended beyond the family, he treated and loved his friends like his family and many of his children's friends thought of him as a second father. Gary was quick to smile and made people immediately feel at ease when he met them. He loved to laugh and joke around, had wicked good dance moves, and enjoyed getting together with friends. After a brief move to Louisville, KY, when the kids were little, Gary swore he would never live in the cold again and moved the family to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he resided until his death. Gary enjoyed all the activities of South Florida, fishing, going to the beach, and boating, and kept a wall of his fishing memories and gear in every house he lived in. A long-time business owner, Gary was a master of his craft. He also believed in the value of hard work and passed those values and skills onto his children. His genial nature extended to his clients, and everyone who met him loved him. Gary is survived by his wife of 42 years, Gail (Hill) Zipfel, children Gary Alphonse Zipfel Jr and wife Rainey Wyatt, Jessica (Zipfel) DeSutter and husband Todd DeSutter, Dane Zipfel and wife Heather Shofstall Zipfel, grandson Taylor DeSutter, and many nieces and nephews including Johnny, Brittany, BJ, and Breck Jr. to whom he was also like a father. He is also survived by his siblings Alray, Larry, Jimmy, Steve, Charmaine and his sister-in-law Beryl Hill. He was preceded in death by his mother and father and three brothers, Dennis, Frank, and Richard. Funeral services will be held at Palms West Funeral Home on Saturday, November 13th, viewing from 9-10 and the service from 10-11. The family asks that you share your memories and condolences and keep Gary's memory going long beyond his life.