James Stiffler Jr.

James "Jay" A. Stiffler, Jr., aged 67, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Feb 22, 2025. 

 Born on Jul 31, 1957 to Mary Louise and James A. Stiffler, Sr., he was the middle child between his sister, Louann, and brother, David. His career began in the former family business, Stiffler's Stores, before he went on to own two restaurants, became regional manager for RDP Foodservice, and finally VP and general manager of The Hills Market before his retirement.

 Jay had a tremendous sense of humor that inspired laughter in everyone around him. His kindness was unmatched, from being a sympathetic ear for anyone who needed one to dedicating years to caring for his elderly father with unwavering devotion. He spent his life offering happiness, comfort, and optimism to everyone he met and his presence touched the lives of everyone who knew him. While his favorite hobbies included reading, classic jazz, and golfing, his passion in life was always caring about the people around him.

 Jay is survived by his two children, Sarah De Lellis, with her spouse, Fabricio De Lellis; Anna Stiffler, with their spouse, K. Copeland; his sister Louann Rodriquez, her daughter, Jenna Rodriquez; and his first wife, M'Lou MacKay. 

 In lieu of flowers, please donate to the 

Florida Oceanographic Society (https://www.floridaocean.org/donate), as Jay truly loved the beaches of Venice and visited as often as possible to relive happy memories. Their Beach Cleanup Program helps to ensure that future visitors will get a chance to see the natural beauty that meant so much to Jay and his family over the years. He shall be dearly missed.