William Dale "Bill" Peifer, Jr. (89) of Shawnee, KS, formerly of St. Peters, MO

William Dale "Bill" Peifer, Jr., 89, of Shawnee, Kansas, formerly of St. Peters, Missouri, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.

Born in Cowden, Illinois, on April 12, 1932, to Buena Elizabeth and William D. Peifer, Sr., Billy Dale was the first of 14 children. Bill loved mushroom hunting, his sweets, going to the casino, the country of Japan and his military service. He served in the United States Air Force and the Air National Guard and was a veteran of the Korean War. He retired from both the military and McDonnell Douglas where he helped to develop the Harpoon Missile and was a member of NASA’s Skylab team. He and his wife, Elizabeth, operated Happy Time Schools in O’Fallon, Missouri, for 40 years.

He is survived by his favorite daughter, Allyson (Tom) Rozgowski; grandchildren: Sawyer (Adriana), Annika and Mason; great-grandchildren: Winry and River Rose; his bossy daughter, Meighan Peifer; grandson, William Logan; as well as his seven Thompson brothers: Ed, Dean, Harvey, Jim, John, Gene and Don; sisters: Helen Prater and Rose Bartels.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Elizabeth; brothers: Charles Peifer and Joe Thompson; sisters: Shirley Hadley and Jane Seely.

A Celebration of Bill’s Life is planned for Saturday, July 10, 2021 at The Cottages of Shawnee in Shawnee, Kansas, as well as a graveside memorial service in Mound Cemetery in Cowden, Illinois at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 25, 2021. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Bill’s name to the Veteran’s Community Project of Kansas City https://www.veteranscommunityproject.org/ or any other veteran program. Lockart-Green Funeral Home in Cowden is assisting the family.