On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, William ‘Bill’ Francis Kiefer, Jr. passed away in Prince William County at the age of 75. A resident of Manassas for nearly fifty years, Bill was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, to the late Loma Uhlman (née McCusker) and the late William Kiefer. Bill was the beloved husband of Margaret ‘Peggy’ Kiefer (née Anderson), to whom he was married for fifty-three years. Bill dedicated his life to the service of others and was known for helping anyone in need. For many, he was a steadfast rock.

As a young boy, Bill helped his mother provide care to his ailing grandmother (Emma McCusker) while also pitching in at the family restaurant, McCusker’s. He was a graduate of Charleroi High School, Class of 1962, and as a young adult served as a volunteer firefighter in his community. In 1965, Bill joined the United States Army. While stationed in Oklahoma, he met the love of his life, Peggy, by chance. She and a friend were traveling through on a road trip when their car broke down, forcing them to wait tables to make enough money to pay for repairs. Bill walked into the restaurant where Peggy was temporarily working, and the rest was history. It was love at first sight, and six weeks later, they were married. Bill dedicated his life to his family, and his career to public safety. In 1971 his first child, William Sterling Kiefer, was born and a second child, Jack Michael Kiefer, followed in 1973. When not enjoying his family life, Bill was working his way through the police ranks with tenacity and commitment. He spent twenty years at Fairfax County Police Department and retired as 2nd Lieutenant in 1988. From 1988-2000, he proudly served as Police Chief of the Manassas Park Police Department. In 2000 Bill thought he was ready for retirement but soon found he preferred to stay busy. His gift for being pragmatic, disciplined, and calm in a crisis made him eminently useful in his life’s second act. Within a short while, he was providing childcare for his grandchildren, soon followed by a nine-year stint as Dispatcher for the United States Park Police.

Over the years, Bill and Peggy found a passion for traveling, and several times a year, armed with Peggy’s prodigious research, they would find a new place to explore. Whether snorkeling in the Caribbean, riding a camel to the Great Pyramids in Egypt, or trekking through ancient ruins in Greece, Bill and Peggy developed thousands of fond memories and seemingly hundreds of photo albums. Bill loved “his Peggy” with every ounce of his being, and a smile would peek out from his mustache as he proudly talked about his two sons and his four grandchildren. Bill was a man who projected strength and authority, belying a tender inside. Bill truly cared about people and their wellbeing. He relished every moment in his life spent with family or in service to others. His kind heart, his irascible stubbornness, and his genuine smile will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

Bill will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 53 years, Peggy and his children, Bill (Kristen) and Jack (Amanda). Bill will also be fondly remembered by his four grandchildren, Madeline, Aidan, Maxfield, and Nicholas, and by his half-sisters, Christine Matt, Debbie Peterson and Karen McKibbin and by his sister-in-law Kathy Geda.

A private celebration of Bill’s life will be held at a later date.

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