Dale Lepper, 64, of Ashland dies
Dale R. Lepper, 64, of R.R. 1, Ashland, died Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 9, at Passavant Hospital.
He was born March 18, 1925, in Quincy, a son of Robert H. and Marie Hagerbaumer Lepper. He married Ruth L. Lewis, Sept. 21, 1947, in Morgan County.
He is survived by his wife; his mother of Quincy; one daughter, Mrs. Galen (Carolyn Sue) Foat of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one son, Gregory Dale Lepper of R.R. 1, Ashland; four grandchildren, Andrew Jordan and Lindsey Marie Foat, both of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Adam Gregory and Daniel Robert Lepper, both of R.R. I, Ashland; two sisters, Mrs. George (Lois) Berggren of Quincy and Mrs. Hadley (Shirley) Davis of Daytona Beach, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Mr. Lepper was a graduate of Quincy High School and received the American Farmer's degree from the Future Farmers of America in 1942. He was a seedsman and early producer of hybrid seed corn, establishing Lepper Hybrids in Adams County. He moved to Morgan County in 1957, where he produced certified seed and much of the crown vetch seed in Illinois.
He previously served as chairman of the Morgan County Extension Council, chairman of the Morgan County Soil and Water Conservation District, board member of the Cass-Morgan Farm Bureau and board member of the Western Illinois Power Cooperative.
For 27 years, Mr. Lepper served in various positions with the Menard Electric Cooperative Board. In 1987, he and his family received the Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Association's Farm Family of the Year Award for innovation in minimum and no-till farming practices.
He was a member of Berea Christian Church, where he formerly served as chairman of the church board.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at Berea Christian Church, with burial at Berea Cemetery. The body will lie in state one hour prior to services. Friends may call after 1 p.m. Thursday at Gillham-Buchanan Funeral Home, where the family will meet with friends 6-8 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Passavant Hospital Nurses' Continuing Education Fund or to the Berea Christian Church.