Jack Eppers

Jack William Eppers died peacefully February 23, 2018 at the age of 85. Born in Stanley, Wisconsin to the late Fred and Caroline Eppers, Jack was one of fifteen children. Several of his siblings lived well into their mid to late nineties, and he is survived by sisters Hazel and Millie. Jack was active in football, basketball and baseball throughout his youth and in high school. Upon graduation, he stepped briefly into the collegiate world, discovered it wasn’t for him and enlisted in the Air Force, serving a total of 8 years. His first enlistment (1951-1955) took him to Hawaii, where he served in the Air Police division. His discharge in 1955 landed him a few odd jobs that weren’t really to his liking, so he re-enlisted in 1956 and was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado. That first year in 1956, he was picked up by the Lowry baseball team just in time for the playoffs and became a member of the Lowry Worldwide Championship Air Force Baseball Team. As part of a reward for winning, the team got to travel to see the New York Yankees take on the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series. Fifty years later, Jack attended his second World Series game when his son was able to get tickets to see the Colorado Rockies take on the Boston Red Sox. After discharge from the military, Jack found a fondness for sales and was quite successful at his craft. He launched a successful career as an independent Manufacturers Representative in the Janitorial and Sanitation Supply Industry, covering a multi-state territory until he retired in 1996. Jack kept busy doting on his two grandchildren, working out at the local gym, walking, gardening and playing senior softball. He was proud of the fact he had still been playing at the age of 81. Macular degeneration forced him to hang up his glove and retire his bat. But he continued to enjoy watching his grandson Jacob play youth and high school baseball. Jack died just 4 days short of learning Jacob had earned a spot on the Chatfield Senior High varsity squad. Jack is survived by his wife, Pat. They met on blind date and were married just shy of 60 years. He was preceded in death by his son, Greg. Jack is survived by his son, Michael (Janet) and grandchildren, Caroline and Jacob. Special thanks to the staff at Collier Hospice Center for their dedicated and compassionate care of Jack. Friends and family members may attend the memorial service on Wednesday, March 7 at 1:00 a.m. at Horan and McConaty, 3101 S. Wadsworth, Lakewood. Services conclude at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 2:30.