Lewis E. Kilzer

Kilzer

“On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Lewis E. Kilzer went to live with Jesus. He was loaned by God to his wife for 53 years, almost to the hour. He was 82 years old.

Lewis Edward Kilzer was born May 17, 1943, to August Henry and Freda Helma (Pabst) Kilzer in Elyria, Ohio. He attended Elyria High School where he ran cross country and sang in the senior choir. After high school he became a draftsman for Aerolite Corporation in Marietta, Ohio and joined the Marine Corps and was trained as an electronics technician. After the Marines he joined the Ohio DHI program as a dairy tester.

During his off time he participated in several baseball and softball leagues and two bowling leagues. He taught himself to play bass guitar and soon was playing with Lester Doyle and the Dandies, a local band in Marietta. They enjoyed local success and eventually scored a radio show sponsored by a local car dealership and later on a local TV show.

Around that time he met Alana in her mother’s kitchen, and they married three months later on December 23, 1972. Encouraged by his new wife, he enrolled at Ohio State where he was an honor student and graduated with a BS in Agricultural Economics. He continued to work for Ohio Ag Services (Ohio DHI) as Coordinator of Records, then he wanted to get back to the field so he took on two areas in northern Ohio and they moved to Mt. Vernon.

About two years later, the family moved to SunnyHill South near Ocala, Florida where Lewis managed a 3000 cow dairy farm. It was his dream come true, but it did not last and he was back in Ohio the next year.

At this time he felt a call to ministry and in 1983 he enrolled in The Methodist Theological School in Ohio where he graduated in 1986. He served churches in Guernsey, Belmont, and Marion counties. He left the ministry in 1992 and after a couple years, was hired at North Central Correctional where he worked as a guard, supervisor in the carpentry shop, and in the kitchen. He led The Disciple Bible Study course and led three complete 32 week Bible study series while he worked there. He also started Anti-Stress Seminars, doing several series before his retirement in 2009. At his retirement the state of Ohio took over and the seminars became part of the inmate pre-release curriculum at that time.

In retirement, he began working as a Redcoat for home football games at Ohio Stadium. He soon moved up to the Huntington Club as security, where he met many notable people and enjoyed great views of the games. At the same time he became the night auditor for the Marion Holiday Inn Express. Also about this time he began to show signs of Parkinson’s so he worked five more years and retired for real.

He was father, coach and mentor to all four of his children and many others. He leaves his wife of 53 years Alana Dee (Lydick) Kilzer, a son, Paul Edward (Scarlett), and three daughters, Rebekah Denean (Rob Knipp), Tamara Denise (John Nichols), and Kristen Deborah (Kenneth Chestnut); and 10 grandchildren, Savannah (Derek Kutrubs), Lillia Kilzer, Maxwell Kilzer, Jaden Knipp, Hope Knipp, Etta Kilzer-Whisman, Joey Kilzer-Whisman, Emily Nichols, Melanie Nichols, and Lucien Myers.

He was preceded in death by his parents: August and Freda; and his sister Margaret Medina.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Michael J Fox Foundation.

Memorial services will be held on January 31, 2026 at Marion First Church of the Nazarene – TheNaz – at 233 W. Church St., Marion, Ohio. Visitation from 10AM-11AM with the service to follow at 11AM