Roger Kieffer

Roger A. Kieffer, 86, of Niskayuna, NY, passed away on Saturday, May 18, 2024 due to complications arising from old age. He is survived by his son, Steven, and his brother and sister, Don and Jan. He was predeceased by his wife Rde, his son, Matthew, his sister Judi, and his parents, Mabel Garvin and Harlan Kieffer.

Roger was born June 14, 1937, in Toledo, Ohio. Most of his childhood was spent in Lempster, New Hampshire, where the family moved in 1943. He attended one-room schools in Lempster, and graduated from Towle High School in Newport, NH with the class of 1955. After excelling in the General Electric Apprentice Program, Roger earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, followed by an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Union College, in Schenectady, New York.

He was a lifetime employee of General Electric, with a career spanning over 40 years, specializing in gas turbines, and encompassing field work, design engineering, management, and overseeing the construction of a power plant in Dabhol, India. For many years he was sent on maintenance visits to power plants all over the world, and was renowned for his skill in troubleshooting gas turbines.

Roger was interested in history, and served multiple terms as the president of the Lempster Historical Society. As a leader and manager he was a natural peacemaker, and source of pragmatic wisdom.

He loved mountain climbing and hiking, gardening, and cutting firewood at the homestead in Lempster. He loved dogs, and was once noted in the paper for saving the life of a drowning dog he discovered in a brook near there.

Roger was helpful, thoughtful, and kind to everyone. He will be remembered for his integrity, generosity, and sense of humor. He is much loved and missed by his family and friends.

The family will hold a celebration of life gathering later this summer in New Hampshire. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Roger's name to the Lempster Historical Society, PO Box 21, Lempster, NH 03605. To express condolences, please visit www.sbfuneralhome.com.