Search by Name

John William Eppich

1916 - 2014

FUNERAL HOME

Brewer, Lee & Larkin Funeral Home

103 East Ute Street

Farmington, New Mexico

John Eppich Obituary

John William Eppich, 97, of Farmington, passed away on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, in Farmington. He was born Nov. 15, 1916, in Mancos, Colo., to John Eppich and Mary Meditz Eppich, both emigrants from the German speaking region of Gottschee, which is now part of Slovenia. His father passed when John was 11 years old from miners lung, and his mother married John Wade, and the family moved to Fruitland, New Mexico.
A graduate of Kirtland Central High School in 1935, John attended the University of New Mexico in 1936, where he studied engineering and played football and basketball. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He returned to Fruitland after his freshman year to support his mother, who was ill, and went to work for the Fruitland Trading Company, not able to accept the athletic scholarship awarded to him by the University. He joined the New Mexico National Guard and qualified as a sharpshooter. He also was a talented coronet player and joined a dance band playing venues across the area. He gained expertise in Navajo weavings and became fluent in Navajo. He met JoAnne Schleihs, a teacher at Kirtland Central High School, and they married in 1944. He then went to work for the United States Atomic Energy Commission to do field work on uranium mines across the Four Corners until he was hired by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1951. He was a federal inspector for the Bureau until his retirement and worked on the Navajo Dam project and the Navajo Irrigation Project construction from its initial stages to final completion. He provided volunteer services for several years after his retirement to the Farmington Police Department.
He and his wife JoAnne were members of the Audubon's Society Bird Club in Farmington, participating in many bird counts across San Juan County. He was an expert wood maker, and his furniture and utensils are held in high regard for their craftsmanship.
He was preceded in death by JoAnne, his wife of 58 years; his brother, Joseph Eppich of Kirtland; his sisters, Rose Watts of Albuquerque, Frieda Miller of Albuquerque, Anne Duran of Albuquerque, Joan Loleit of Farmington and Mary Charters of Mesa, Ariz.
He is survived by his sons, John Douglas Eppich, of Champaign, Ill., Dennis F. Eppich of Iowa City, Iowa, David P. Eppich of Durango, Colo., Jennifer A. Katebini of Chantilly, Va., and R. Dean Eppich of Plano, Texas. He is also survived by his older sister, Getrude Etchart of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Jean Raterman of San Antonio, Texas; six grandchildren, John Katebini, Dr. Heather Kim, Lindsay Abshagen, Meghan Peeples, Tina Eppich-Meneely and Joseph Martin; and numerous great-grandchildren.
A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 414 N. Allen Ave. in Farmington.
A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with Father Anthony Dike as celebrant.
Interment will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery, and lunch will then be served in the parish hall.
Pallbearers are Jack Wethington, Chris Jaquez, Wayne Eppich, Jason Salazar, John Buckles and Joseph Duran.
The family is asking that in lieu of flowers or gifts, donations are made to the UNM Scholarship for San Juan College Honors Program Transfer Students. Contact the UNM Foundation at 505-277-4503 or the San Juan College Foundation Office at 505-566-3204.
John's care is entrusted to Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home, 103 E. Ute St. in Farmington, 505-325-8688. Those who wish to express their condolences may do so at www.serenityandcompany.com.

Published by Farmington Daily Times from Apr. 29 to May 9, 2014.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Memories and Condolences
for John Eppich

Not sure what to say?





0 Entries

Be the first to post a memory or condolences.

Make a Donation
in John Eppich's name

Memorial Events
for John Eppich

To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one.

Funeral services provided by:

Brewer, Lee & Larkin Funeral Home

103 East Ute Street, Farmington, NM 87401

How to support John's loved ones
Commemorate a cherished Veteran with a special tribute of Taps at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor John Eppich's life and legacy
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more