Vera Hepker

A celebration of life for Vera Hepker, 84, of Kalona will be held Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 11:00 AM at the New Horizons Methodist Church in Coralville, Iowa with Pastor Kurt Jurgensmeier officiating.  Burial will be held at 2:00 PM at the Sharon Center United Methodist Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Friday, September 19 from 4 – 7 PM at the Peterseim Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.  A memorial fund has been established for Musclar Dystrophy.  Vera Hepker died Monday, September 15, 2014 at the Pleasantveiw Home in Kalona.

Vera Ethel (Fountain) Hepker was born June 4, 1930, the daughter of Vernon and Eva Myrna (Van Syoc) Fountain.  She lived on the same farm where she was born until she finished high school.  She attended Sharon Township #2 (Willow Grove) rural school and attended one year at University High in Iowa City before transfering to Kalona High School and graduating in 1948. In 1953 she attended Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa and graduated in 1957 with a BA in Parish Work.  Vera worked throughout college and later in Ohio as a Parish Worker, eventually taking a job at the Salem United Brethern Church in Cedar Rapids until she was married.  On March 3, 1959 she was united in marriage to Vernon Hepker in the Cedar Rapids church.  She worked at Collins Radio for a year and a half and helped with the farm field work and milked cows in Linn and Delaware Counties until moving to Wall Lake.  In 1990 the couple moved to Kalona and Vera worked at the Pleasantview Home until retirement.   Vera was also an active volunteer at various places, including the Veteran's Hospital.  She was a member of the United Methodist Church and the American Legion Auxilliary.  Vera enjoyed puzzles, reading and needlepoint.  Vera loved her family and God came first in her life.

Survivors include her husband Vernon of Kalona, one daughter Debbie (Steve) Ussery of Pierce, NE, 4 grandchildren: Nick, Dale "Gus", Jake and Melinda Ussery, one sister Anna May (Richard) Geyer of Kalona, two sisters in law: Ruth Fountain of Kalona and Marlene (Gary) Johnson of Texas, and a number of nieces and nephews.

Preceding Vera in death were her parents and one brother, Omer Fountain.