Tauffner, Gil
TAUFFNER, Dr. Gil
Dr. Gil Tauffner, 99, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on November 29, 2020.
Dr. Tauffner was born in Buffalo, NY on October 14, 1921. He is a veteran of WWII, and served with honor with the U.S. Army Air Corps in the China Burma India Theater of the war as a map maker and propaganda artist. Following his homecoming in 1946, Dr. Tauffner married his sweetheart, Betty Bel, after dating for two years and writing letters while she awaited his return from the war. He often joked that it was difficult to plan a wedding without being able to write about wedding china without the words being punched out the letter. Gil and Betty were happily married for 74 years. Dr. Tauffner completed his doctorate in Communications and Education, writing his thesis about how to educate others through various forms of media. He went on to serve as a liaison between the U.S. and both Iran and Korea to establish communication systems in their developing countries, and he has received letters of appreciation and commendation from the governments of those countries. In 1961, Dr. Tauffner began his service as Director of Media Services and Manager of WABE/WETV Public Broadcasting Systems. Dr. Tauffner also earned a leadership certificate in Educational Administration from Georgia State University.
In retirement, Dr. Tauffner enjoyed utilizing his gifts as an artist in painting with oils, working on his elaborate model train set, and constructing large wooden ship models. His biggest joy was spending a family weekend on the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier and witnessing the workings of the ship alongside his crew. He has always had an excellent sense of humor, and he described the thrill of "having his head blown off" by the roar of the airplanes as they landed and were "grabbed by the big rubber band." His time with his family was always filled with laughter and love, making new memories and cherishing times past.
Dr. Tauffner is survived by his loving family—his wife, Betty Tauffner, his daughter, Nanette Shealy and her partner Eric Johnson, and his grandchildren, Eric Shealy and Meredith Wilson and their spouses, Miranda Shealy and Chris Wilson, and Zachary Hobbs.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Heritage Fund of Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, at peachtree.org.
View the obituary on Legacy.com
Funeral Home Information
H.M. Patterson & Son-Oglethorpe Hill Chapel
4550 Peachtree Road Ne
Atlanta, GA
30319
