Jeffery Papenfuss Obituary

Jeffery A. "Bull" Papenfuss

Jul 5, 1961 - Jan 10, 2026

Port Clinton

Jeffrey A. Papenfuss "Bull" 64, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at Firelands Hospital from complications of cardiac arrest. Fortunately, at the time of death, he was able to donate his liver to a recipient waiting through the Lifebanc Donation Organization. A small part of Jeff lives on to help someone else.

Jeff was born in Sandusky to James Papenfuss and JoAnn Burns and graduated from Sandusky High School. For those who knew him well, Jeff was an entrepreneur who led a very colorful life. Growing up watching his grandfather and uncle Al and Dale Schiefley at their tattoo shop, father and son, Jeff learned to tattoo later in life. He loved to draw and tattooing was a huge passion. He also was an avid hunter and loved to fish. He hunted in Southern Ohio, won a shoot at NASA, went to Kelleys Island and was lucky enough to shoot a deer out a second-story window of the home on Columbus Avenue. He was even good at getting those pesky groundhogs with his compound bow.

Jeff had a soft spot in his heart for animals. His friends would call him the "dog whisperer" or "cat whisperer" because he had an uncanny way of talking to his pets and they understood him. He and his wife, Jennifer, would sometimes have up to four cats at a time, but it was his pet Chihuahuas, Pocket and Boots, that were always with him, that he was especially fond of and loved dearly.

Jeff, always employed, worked his last job as a tow motor driver at Lear Corporation in Huron. One of his favorite jobs was working for a tree-trimming company in his late teens and early 20s, where he learned a lot about horticulture. He and Jennifer have many houseplants that he insisted he could grow from basically nothing. Despite her apprehensions, he always proved her wrong. Now they have a jungle.

Jeff leaves behind his wife, Jennifer (Dureck, whom he married in 2007 and had known for 50 years; brother, Alfred (Dawn); sister, Barbara (Jerry) Dorsey; daughter, April (Joe) Ring; son, Adam Phillips; stepson, Samuel Frausto; special stepdaughter, Mary Stacey; many nephews, nieces and cousins and lifelong friends, Joe Rohrbacher and Michael Walters.

Jeff is preceded in death by his parents, James Papenfuss and JoAnn Burns; stepmother, Sharon (Casey) Papenfuss; grandparents, Alfred and Theda Schiefley and John and Mary Papenfuss; and his beloved pet Chihuahua, Pocket.

There will be a gathering for Jeff from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, March 7, 2026, at his sister Barb's home at 8712 Rogers Road, Castalia. Please come and share your memories, stories and reminisce. Those who wish to contribute to Jeff's memory can do so to American Heart Association.

Jeff had always told Jennifer that he wished to leave this world first because he could not live without her. Finally, his wish came true. Toft Funeral Home & Crematory, 2001 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, is handling arrangements.

Online condolences may be made to family by visiting toftfuneralhome.com.