Kim Stolfer
Kim Stolfer, 68, of South Fayette, passed away Saturday, April 15, 2023, in his home, surrounded by his family, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.
Born November 7, 1954, in Pittsburgh, Kim was raised by his late mother, Charlotte Moser Stolfer. Kim was a 1972 graduate of Carlynton High School in Carnegie.
At the young age of 19, Kim became a Marine sending money home to his then juvenile sister, Rose to help care for their then ailing mother.
The Marine Corps vocational test scores showed his aptitude in verbal skills, organizational skills, and problem-solving, so they put him through aircraft and powerplant mechanic school and he was assigned as a crew chief on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
Like many veterans, war molded him from his late teen years into adulthood, and he saw and did more than he ever said. Kim was crew chief of the last American helicopter to leave Vietnam. Due to a communications error, military personnel and civilians were left behind at the American Embassy in Saigon after the “official” last helicopter departed with the Ambassador. Kim’s CH-47 evacuated those left behind as Saigon fell in South Vietnam.
Following his military service Kim went on to work and serve his country as a body and fender repairman for the United States Postal Service. He retired in 2009 as shop keeper after 30 years of service.
Kim found a love for shooting sports through Greater Pittsburgh Trap & Skeet Club, where he participated in recreational and competition shooting including IPSC practical pistol, rifle and shotgun. He co-founded Shooters Active in Firearms Education (S.A.F.E.) and became active throughout the Pennsylvania region teaching National Rifle Association-certified firearms safety and concealed carry classes through various sportsman’s clubs and police departments.
Kim was a founding member of both the Greater Pittsburgh Trap & Skeet Club and the Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League (ACSL) club’s legislative affairs branch, which got him involved in leadership positions in the Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League (ACSL) and the Pennsylvania Sportsmen’s Association (PSA). His efforts evolved into Firearms Owners Against Crime (FOAC-ILLEA).
Kim took his oath to defend the Constitution seriously and was an effective adversary of elected officials and government employees who violate their oaths. He was a well-spoken advocate for personal freedoms as well as for holding criminals accountable. Kim wrote and or co-authored, dozens of pieces of statewide legislation over the years, many of which are now current law, including the Castle Doctrine law and Preemption Enhancement law.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 36 years, Michelle Pozzi Stolfer; his son, Jason Stolfer; his stepson, Michael (Emily) Pozzi; his granddaughters, Paige and Gabriella Pozzi; his beloved sister, Rose (Mike) Johnson; his niece and nephew, Samantha (John) Rothka, and Paul (Jennifer) Milavec; and many loved great-nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends and patriots from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, in the Thomas-Little Funeral Home, 305 Main Street, Imperial, where visitation continues from 12 to 2 p.m., the time of a service honoring and remembering Kim’s life, Thursday, April 20th.
The family would like to express their thanks for the wonderful help and care given by Gallagher Hospice. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, allies, and patriots. We are all diminished by his passing.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to FOAC-ILLEA at https://foac-illea.org in memory of Kim’s life and legacy.