Manfred Paul Opitz

Louisville - Manfred P Opitz Sr. (11/12/37-7/9/24) entered Eternity after a long life filled with hard hard work, love, laughter and playful mischief. He was born in Weita Germany, to Hildegard, who raised him as a single mother. He emigrated to the US at age 18 to fulfill the American Dream. He moved to New York and worked many jobs in the restaurant business, including manager at the famous Down Under, right by the skating rink in Rockefeller Center. He met and married Joan Dooley in 1963, and they had three children. He moved with his family to Wisconsin, and later to Louisville, KY, where he worked for the Racetrack, where he met his longtime Love and friend, Mary Kavanaugh and he adopted into his heart and helped raise her three children. Over the years, he and Mary remined good friends and she took care of him and stood by him as he died. Manfred was a big-hearted and hilarious man who made friends wherever he went while remaining fiercely independent and stubborn. He worked until the age of 84, as he was perpetually restless. He enjoyed fishing and was an excellent cook. He loved model trains, opera, history, science, archeology, and politics. He was a foster dad of stray cats. He enjoyed fine wine and good bourbon. Though he wasn't a fan of church, he took pride in his Lutheran roots and prayed daily to God. He was preceded in death by his mother, and infant brother, and son, Manfred Opitz Jr., as well as two infant grandsons (Damond II and Terrance), and his former wife, Joan. He is survived by Mary, and his children, Christopher Opitz (Wanda) and Dawn White (Shawn), daughter-in-law Lori, and ten grandchildren, Ryan, Brittney, Sienna, Paloma, Bella, Christopher, Samuel, Lilybeth, Tirzah, and Tyrion, Cameron and Landon. Adopted into his heart, are his children, Donna (Damond), Jacqueline, and Terence (Debi) and grandchildren, Kionna, Shawn, Terence, Savannah, MacKenzie, Nikolas, Damia, Dai'onna, and Damond; and five great grandchildren.