Mary Ellen (Lentz) Kiper

Mary Ellen (Lentz) Kiper, 74, passed away Thursday, January 2, 2025. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Robert Glenn Kiper; parents, Ollie and Mary Lentz; and sister, Maxine Stinnett. Mary Ellen is survived by her sons, Joshua Kiper (Elizabeth “Liz”) and Jonah Kiper (Cecilia); grandchildren, Nolan, Elise, Kendall, and Paisley Kiper; sisters, Bonnie Hawkins (Earl), Lori Ann Sweeney, Tammy Tyler (James), Karen Berry (Rob), and Connie Baumer (Phil); brothers, Joey Lentz (Debbie), Eddie Lentz (Francis), Danny Stump (Mary Jo), Ricky Stump (Emily), Kevin Hofelich (Michelle), Chris Hofelich (La Cherry), and Troy Hofelich (Jill); brother-in-law, John Stinnett; and many nieces and nephews. Her funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at Owen Funeral Home-Jeffersontown, 9318 Taylorsville Rd. with burial to follow in Jeffersontown Cemetery. Her visitation will be from noon until the time of service Wednesday at Owen Funeral Home. Mary Ellen (Lentz) Kiper was born into humble beginnings in Fern Creek, KY on August 29th, 1950. She was the first born into a family of what would become 14 children. To say her up bringing was a struggle would be an understatement. Her parents were very poor and it seemed there was always another mouth to feed in her growing family. At a young age Mary Ellen helped care for her younger sisters and brothers, and was often feeding, changing diapers and keeping them out of trouble. Life was hard, but out of these struggles came her nurturing and loving instincts that would help define her as a sister, a wife, a mother, a Nana, and a friend to so many people. Mary Ellen attended Fern Creek high school and graduated in 1968. While at Fern Creek, she lettered in the high school drill team and developed her lifelong love of dancing and music. More importantly, she also met the love of her life, and our father, Glenn Kiper. Mary Ellen and Glenn married on Valentine’s Day in 1969. After graduating high school, Mary Ellen took on several jobs including work at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She continued working until she gave birth to her first son Joshua in April of 1974 followed by her second son, Jonah in November of 1981. In 1977, Mary Ellen and Glenn started K&S Auto Service with her sister Maxine Stinnett and brother-in-law John Stinnett. While balancing the demands of being a wife and a business owner she also somehow managed to become the most amazing mother to her two young boys. Tragically, in January of 2000, Mary Ellen lost her loving husband of 31 years to a terminal illness. In typical Mary Ellen fashion though, she persevered when most might have given up, and began the next chapter of her life. She began a 20+ year career within the Jefferson County Public School system as a librarian’s assistant and an office clerk at Jeffersontown High School and Moore High School. During this time Mary Ellen’s family was expanding and she finally received the “daughters” that she never had. First with Liz (Joshua) in 1998 and then Cecilia (Jonah) in 2009. She also took on the most important role of her lifetime, which was to become the worlds greatest Nana to four wonderful grandchildren. She was blessed with Nolan (Joshua) in 2003, Elise (Joshua) in 2010, Kendall (Jonah) in 2011 and Paisley (Jonah) in 2016. Being a grandchild of Mary Ellen meant getting to go to the Good Will and Dollar Tree for prizes. It meant getting a “Nana Bag” of clothes and treats every time she saw you. It meant getting to stay the night at her house and play with your cousins and look for deer in her front yard. But most importantly it meant being loved by someone more than is humanly possible. Outside of family and work, Mary Ellen loved music and dancing. She felt that music spoke to her and helped her through whatever challenge was in front of her. She spent many years as a member of the Pride of Kentucky Chorus and competed internationally in Sweet Adeline events. She was a woman of faith and was a member of Jeffersontown United Methodist Church as well as South East Christian Church. She loved shopping, mainly at Good Will and mostly for her grandchildren, and she prided herself on finding a “good deal”. Friendships were very important to Mary Ellen and you could always expect to be kept up to date on what was going on with everyone at her work or within the family. One-to-two-hour phone calls catching up on anything and everything were her specialty. Mary Ellen made friends where ever she went. Even during her final weeks in the hospital, she was making friends with doctors and nurses. Mary Ellen maintained life-long friendships and probably none more cherished than her 28-year friendship with Michael Taylor. They danced and sang and he helped her through some of her most difficult times and will forever be a member of our family. Mary Ellen returned home to rejoin our Heavenly Father on January 2nd, 2025. She is now, joyously, with her mother Mary Lentz, our father Glenn and her sister Maxine. We will always love and miss you, mom, Nana, Mary Ellen. Rest in Peace until we meet again.

Mary Ellen (Lentz) Kiper

August 29, 1950 - January 2, 2025