Obituary of Verna F. Jepson

Verna Freida Jepson, age 90, of Wisconsin Rapids, passed away Monday, May 15, 2017 at Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids.

Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, May 18 at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids.  Rev. Jonathan Petzold will officiate.  Entombment will be at Forest Hill Mausoleum.  Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 P.M. on Wednesday and from 10:00 A.M. until the time of services on Thursday at the funeral home.

Verna was born April 22, 1927 in Rudolph, WI to Fredrick and Minnie (Marzofka) Hetzel.  She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1944 and later from Wood County Normal School. Verna began her teaching career at the one room Lone Birch Schoolhouse in Rudolph and Lac du Flambeau Elementary.  She traveled and taught until she married Robert Jepson in 1950.  She worked at Drs. Zellmer and Flemming and raised her three loving children.

In the early 1970’s Verna began substitute teaching for Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools and returned to college.  In 1975, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  She was hired by Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools and taught third grade for 19 years at Vesper, Two Mile, Woodside and Washington Elementary Schools.

Verna was the first President of the Wisconsin Rapids Lioness Club, charter member of Ducks Unlimited Golden Eyes, St. Paul’s Lutheran Choir, BPW, AAUW Bridge, Tri City Ladies Bridge, Duplicate Bridge, Woodside Girls, Immanuel Widowers, Wisconsin Rapids Retired Teachers and a lifetime member of the National Education Association.

Verna donated countless hours knitting baby caps for preemies and newborns in both the Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids hospitals.

She enjoyed golfing, camping, fishing, playing cards, writing poetry, traveling, walking, knitting crafts and teaching.  She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren, family and wide network of friends.

Verna is survived by two daughters, Deborah Jepson Trimble and Suzanne (Jeffrey) Oberbeck; son, Mark (Debbie) Jepson; brother, Robert Hetzel; sister, Norma Hogan; sisters-in-law, Diane Lieber and Ethel Hetzel; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.  She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Robert; sisters, Margaret Newman and Mildred Riske; brother, Herbert Hetzel; brothers-in-law: Donald Newman, Robert Riske, Herbert Hetzel, Paul Hogan and Rolland Lieber; and sister-in-law, LuVerne Hetzel.