Robert William Epper

ROBERT WILLIAM EPPER CHARLESTON - Entered into eternal rest on Friday, December 10, 2010. The family will receive friends 4 - 6 pm at James A. McAlister Funeral Home Sunday, December 12. His Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM, Monday, December 13, 2010 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1695 Wallenberg Boulevard. Entombment will follow afterward at Live Oak Memorial Gardens, 3093 Ashley River Road. Mr. Epper was born August 24, 1935 in Paterson, New Jersey to Charles and Margaret Epper. His primary and secondary education was obtained in Paterson, New Jersey, having graduated from Paterson Central High School in 1953. In 1954 he entered Farleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1958. On November 23, 1957, he married Katherine Vander Heide and they would go on to enjoy 53 years of marriage. He served in the US Army from 1958 -1959. After being honorably discharged, he entered the US Army Reserves as an Acquisition Radar Operator in the New York Air Defense Command. Robert furthered his education by taking graduate level courses in chemical engineering. With his wife and five children, Robert moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 1970, where he worked for Bayer AG for 27 years. His career with Bayer included numerous assignments including serving on an international logistics team. As a capstone to his successful career, he was honored to be assigned as an "Executive on Loan" to the South Carolina Aquarium for two years. Robert was known for his dedication to family and youth activities. He coached Charleston Dixie Youth Baseball for six years and Dixie League Football for eight years at St. Andrews Playground. He was a football official for the South Carolina High School Football Association for seven years. Following his retirement, he volunteered at the local Family History Center as a librarian for six years. One of his passions was genealogical research, which he pursued until the Epper family name was traced back to 1609. He was proud to have also completed the research for his paternal grandmother (Gasser) Epper back to 1521. He wrote and published his family history, which was accepted as original research at a genealogical library in Switzerland. Robert's proudest accomplishment was raising his five children together with his wife, Kathy. He placed a high value on education, and was gratified to have supported each of them through college and graduate school. Robert was predeceased by his mother, Margaret; father, Charles Sr.; brother, Charles Jr.; sister, June Epper Cadwell; and sister, Margaret C. Epper. He is survived by his wife, Katherine Epper of Charleston and their five children: Patricia Gelfand and her husband Kurt of Athens, Georgia; Robert Epper and his wife Rhonda of Denver, Colorado; Thomas Epper of Charleston; James Epper of Charleston; and Kathryn Ann Holland and her husband Richard of Salt Lake City, Utah; and eight grandchildren: Brian and Brent Gelfand; Reese and Emily Epper; Jessica Epper; and Christopher, Matthew, and Cooper Holland. Mr. Epper's guestbook may be signed at www.jamesamcalister.com. Arrangements are by the JAMES A. MCALISTER FUNERAL HOME, 1620 Savannah Hwy. Charleston. (843) 766-1365.