Warren H. Pepperdine

1931 - 2019

Warren H. Pepperdine

Feb. 24, 1931 - Jan. 30, 2019

NOTRE DAME, IN - Warren H. Pepperdine died January 30, 2019 at Dujarie House, Holy Cross Village, Notre Dame, Indiana. He was born on February 24, 1931 in Mina, Nevada, the only child of Jacob Pepperdine and Maria Basalisa Pepperdine, née Arriaga. Warren grew up in Hailey and Twin Falls, Idaho near Sun Valley amongst the Basque community and his extended family under the watchful gaze of his grandmother, Pia Unamuno. Warren especially cherished the beauty of the mountains, the Shoshone Ice Caves, and was an avid participant of all winter sports, which the area provided in abundance.

After graduation from Boise Junior College in 1951, Warren earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Washington in speech and theatre arts. He began his teaching career as an instructor in theatre at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. This was followed by professorships at the University of Washington and at Portland (Oregon) State University. In 1965, Warren earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota.

In 1962, after service in the United States Air Force, Warren received an invitation to interview for a teaching position in the Department of Speech and Theatre at Indiana University. Thus began a 36-year career at Indiana University-South Bend where he produced and staged more than 100 plays, many of them classics for elementary school children. Warren's love of teaching also led him to Malaysia and other parts of the Far East. He was named Chairman of the Department of Speech and Theatre at Indiana University at South Bend in 1970, a position which he held until his retirement

Warren was especially proud of his Basque heritage and made several trips to visit relatives and conduct original research throughout the Basque Country in Northern Spain and Southern France. Warren especially enjoyed visiting his family's homestead in Lekeitio, Bizkaia. During retirement, he continued to pursue his interests in history, culture and the arts, and even began to learn the ancient Basque language of his ancestors. Warren made significant cultural and financial contributions to the preservation and study of Basque culture with donations to the University of Nevada, Reno and by the establishment of the Pia Unamuno Anchustegui Memorial Scholarship, in memory of his grandmother, at Boise State University. Warren wanted to encourage and support students interested in learning more about Basque cultural and language courses as well as study abroad programs in Basque country.

Warren's wit, laughter and generosity will be sorely missed by his many friends and colleagues. McGann-Hay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials gifts may be made to the Boise State University Foundation, 1173 University Drive, Boise, ID 83706, for Pia Unamuna Anchustegui Memorial Scholarship.