Ann I. Leifer went home to the Lord on September 21, 2026, at age 68. Ann was born on July 15, 1958, in Manitowoc to Kenneth and Lorraine (Luebke) Knier. She was salutatorian of the Valders High School Class of 1976 and went on to attend Lakeland College, graduating as a Medical Technologist in 1981. Ann married Jeff Leifer on October 13, 1979, in Manitowoc. She began her career at Medical Arts before stepping away from the workforce to raise her family. She later returned to work at Holy Family Memorial Medical Center, where she became a LEAN specialist while earning her MBA from Lakeland College as a member of the Class of 2011. She later continued her career in performance improvement at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. Ann treasured time spent with her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed camping, reading, and counted-cross stitching. She never met a piece of red licorice or dark chocolate she didn’t like. Ann will be remembered for her love of family, her dedication to her work and education, and the many simple joys she found in life.
Ann is survived by her husband of almost 47 years, Jeff; children Kirsten (Dano) McKay, Katrina Leifer, Karissa (Zach) Stecker, and Joel (Danielle) Leifer; grandchildren Frederick and Maverick, Eli and Evelyn, Eleanor and Lorraine, Daniel and Ellasyn, and a grandson arriving in December; siblings Paul Knier, Phil (Georgeann) Knier, Mark (Mary Ann) Knier, Kay (Guy) Vogel, Carol (Dennis) Hammel, and Judi (Jamie) Pomeroy; sister-in-law Pam Leifer; mother-in-law Nancy Leifer; as well as nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Kenneth and Lorraine Knier; in-laws Lee Leifer, Arleen (Greg) Besaw; brother-in-law Randy Leifer; and sister-in-law Karen (Dean) Drossart.
Visitation will be held at Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home, 628 N. Water St., Manitowoc, on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Service at 1:00 p.m. A luncheon will follow at the Harrigan Parkside Gathering Center, just to the south of the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in honor of Ann to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.
The family wishes to extend special thanks to Alliance CBRF (Ibrahim, Nudgma, and Muna), the staff at Park View Health Center (especially Maria V.), the staff at Complete Care of Manitowoc, the staff at Home Care Hospice, and Sarah from Manitowoc County Human Services.
