Edwin Francis "Ed" Pfaff

Edwin F. Ed Pfaff, a local businessman and World War II veteran, died Friday, October 26, 2007, after a long illness. He was 87 and lived at the Presbyterian Manor in Farmington. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church of Farmington. Mr. Pfaff was born in Zell, MO, and moved to Ste. Genevieve at a young age with his parents and two sisters. After graduating from Ste. Genevieve Catholic School, he worked and managed the MFA Filling Station and Farmers Exchange in Ste. Genevieve from 1938 until he was drafted into the Army in January 1941. Mr. Pfaff was engulfed in the stream of servicemen sent to Europe for World War II. He was assigned to the 33rd Maintenance and Reconnaissance Company in the Third Armored Division of the U. S. Army as a Private 1st Class. His experience driving a large livestock truck at the MFA in Ste. Genevieve made him well suited in the Army to drive a 6 x 6 supply truck which carried motor oil and supplies for the armored vehicles and tanks. Mr. Pfaff was among 156,000 soldiers who came ashore on an LST landing craft on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at Normandy. In September 1944 he was promoted to a T5 (same rank as a Corporal in the regular Army). With his promotion he then drove a jeep for an Army officer for the remainder of the war. He also participated in the Battle of the Bulge which started on December 16, 1944 (his 25th birthday). Mr. Pfaff served on the front line under artillery fire for a full year. He once said, You came to the realization that you couldnt control your destiny, and you didnt know whether you would live or die. You just wanted to die honorably. Mr. Pfaff had immense pride for his service to his country. Mr. Pfaff returned home and married the love of his life, Mary Ann Winter in 1945. He resumed work at the MFA Exchange until 1952, at which time he went to work for the Creole Dairy as a route milk man serving customers in the Farmington and Leadbelt Area. One of his customers was North End Grocery in Farmington on Potosi Street. In 1959 he purchased the 7-day-a-week grocery/convenience store. From 1959 until the mid-1970s, North End Grocery was one of only two grocery stores in Farmington open in the evenings and on Sundays. After selling North End Grocery in the mid-1970s, Mr. Pfaff went to work for Lees Grocery Store in Farmington and later worked at his sons restaurant, the Plank Road Inn, as a manager. Mr. Pfaffs dedication to the Farmington community was strong. He was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion in Farmington, where he held several different officer positions. Once retired, he joined the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Joseph Parish in Farmington. In 1989 he was elected President of the volunteer organization which he held for 14 years. During that time he supervised volunteers, coordinated grant applications, built relationships with area organizations, ran can food drives, spent countless hours at the food pantry stocking shelves and tending to other duties. Mr. Pfaff worked tirelessly on behalf of those in need in the region. Mr. Pfaffs survivors include a son, Francis Fritz Pfaff of Farmington, three daughters, Jean Hinkebein of Chillicothe, MO; Pat Biggerstaff of St. Louis and Grace Wagner of Webster Groves; two sisters, Loretta Grass and Mercedes Grass of Bloomsdale; ten grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends at Cozean Memorial Chapel from 4 to 9 p.m. on Monday, October 29, 2007. A combined VFW and American Legion Service will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday. Visitation will resume on Tuesday from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church of Farmington at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Burial with Military Honors will follow at New Calvary Cemetery.