Donald Charles Taphorn, 66, of Apollo Beach (formerly of Cincinnati), was born on August 21, 1952, and passed away at home on December 16, 2018.

Don was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His grandchildren adored their "Pappy", and he took great pleasure in being with them whenever possible. It was his joy to entertain them on the dock by fishing and watching for manatees, and by showing the older grandchildren his custom pocketknives and educating them as to what made each knife so unique and collectible.

Don also had a passion for fixing anything that didn't work- a career he started at the age of just five or six. He began taking radios apart and reassembling them in record time. If he was a guest in your home, you could be certain everything would be in working order before he left. Your HVAC system would be fine-tuned, and the sound system, appliances, and anything else with moving parts would be better than ever. He loved to be of service, and his talent and keen interest in discovering how things operated was a gift he was quick to share with his family and friends.

Don is preceded in death by his parents; Ellen Jean and Charles Taphorn, brother; Robert Taphorn, and infant grandson; Ethan Lane. He is survived by his loving wife; Mary (Kruse) Taphorn, daughter; Emily Bullard (Ryan)and their son Elijah, stepdaughter; Bryanne Lane (Joshua) and their daughters Emily and Julia, stepson; Michael Bennett and his daughter Renee', stepson; Nick Bennett (Gwen) and their children Jessica, Nicholas, and Hannah. He is also survived by his sister; Ginny Deters (Larry), brother; Tom Taphorn (Lynn), sister-in-law; Judy Taphorn, and numerous nieces and nephews, church family, and friends.

To all who knew him, Don's life was a testament of the love and power of Jesus Christ. It was his strong relationship with Christ and the love of his family and friends that sustained him through a valiant three year battle with pancreatic cancer.

The Visitation (1-2PM) and a Celebration of Life (2-3PM) will be held on Saturday, December 22nd, at Bell Shoals Baptist Church- Apollo Beach Campus, with Zipperer's Funeral Home handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Don's name to LifePath Hospice (chaptershealth.org) or The Children's Heart Foundation (childrensheartfoundation.org).




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