Obituaries

William G. Nuffer

Died May 27, 2014

SUTTONS BAY – William George Nuffer, 82, of Suttons Bay, passed away on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at Northport Highlands.

  Bill was born on July 18, 1931, in Bay City, the son of John and Bertha (Kloha) Nuffer. Bill grew up in Bay City and attended Handy High School where he earned seven varsity letters and won achievement awards as one of the top 10 students three years in a row. Bill went on to attend college at the University of Michigan and earned his degree in Business Administration. While Bill was attending the University of Michigan he was enlisted in the Naval ROTC program and worked full time at Braun-Brumfield.

  Upon Bill’s graduation from the University of Michigan he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy during the Korean conflict. Bill’s duty involved flying during the entire period and in addition, he was squadron material officer, squadron instrument instructor, and patrol plane commander.

  Returning from service, Bill rejoined Braun-Brumfield and soon became Vice President and Director. The love and dedication for printing books became deep rooted in his life. In 1965, Bill felt he needed greater challenges and left Braun-Brumfield to found LithoCrafters in Ann Arbor. Bill went on to establish a second book manufacturing company, BookCrafters, in Fredericksburg, VA. Soon afterward, LithoCrafters and BookCrafters were merged to form one company which retained the name BookCrafters. Under Bill’s leadership BookCrafters grew to have five locations and over 800 employees. Bill served as the President of the company until his retirement in 1996.

  Bill has also served as the President of the Ann Arbor Litho Club, the Ann Arbor Graphic Arts Management Association, and held a number of board positions with the Village of Chelsea and Chelsea Hospital. In 1981, Bill helped to found the Ann Arbor Graphic Arts Memorial Foundation which provides scholarships for Michigan students earning a print management degree.

  When Bill was not working he was able to indulge in his passion for flying, hunting, boating, and deep water fishing.

  Bill is survived by his wife, Mary; children, Bob Nuffer, Pam Nuffer, and John (Colleen) Nuffer; grandchildren, Stephanie Nuffer Shackelford, Bill Nuffer, Austin Eddington, and Alex Eddington, Morgan Nuffer; great-grandchild, Holli Shackelford; step-children, Bob Butcher and Patty Butcher; and step-granddaughter, Alyssa Templer.

  He was predeceased by his son, Bill Nuffer; step-daughter Sue Butcher; and a sister, Madeline (Howard) Wendt.

  A memorial celebration of Bill’s life will be announced at a later date.

  Memorials in Bill’s name may be directed to Ann Arbor Graphic Arts Memorial Foundation, PO Box 1951, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 or Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th fl., New York, NY 10001.