John Henry Epler

John Henry Epler, age 93, died at Columbus on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010. He was born Dec. 10, 1916, near Hallowell, the second son of Melvin Leon and Carrie E. Holaday Epler. He attended the Friendship one-room school through eighth grade and went on to graduate from the Cherokee County Community High School (CCCHS) at Columbus in 1933. He has lived and farmed in Cherokee County all his life. On Dec. 24, 1939, he married Clarice Louise Pickering at her home near Hallowell. She died in 1988. John served on various local school boards from 1951 until 1969. He was a member of the board of School District No. 90 for several years, and later served on the boards of both CCRHS and Columbus Unified School District No. 493. He was instrumental in planning and overseeing the consolidation of the Columbus schools during that time. He worked long hours planning the construction of a new high school building built in 1961, which would include an auditorium, cafeteria and library. That building was planned and built so that further additions could be easily added later, and those additions have taken place since that time. He served on the first board that established the Southeast Kansas Area Vocational Technical School in Columbus and Coffeyville. He believed strongly in providing every educational opportunity possible to the young people of the community. John was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Carrie Epler; his wife, Louise Epler; one daughter, Evelyn Atkinson; and three brothers, Leon Epler, Alvin Epler and infant brother, Robert Epler. He is survived by his children, John M. Epler and wife, Cindy, of Hallowell, Mark Epler and wife, Betty, of Chetopa, Karen Dolanc and husband, Terry, of Joplin, Mo., and Jean Studebaker and husband, Jack, of Fredonia; son-in-law, Marion Atkinson; close family friend Jane Doerflinger and family, of Overland Park, Kan.; 10 grandchildren, Gina Dolanc Atteberry, Chris Dolanc, Suzannah Dolanc Pugh, Jonathan Epler, Michael Epler, Eric Studebaker, Tyler Studebaker, Lucas Epler, Christina Epler and Timothy Epler; and four great-grandchildren, Christian Atteberry, Kelsey Atteberry, Kip Atteberry and Eden Dolanc. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Murdock Funeral Home in Columbus. Interment will follow in McKee Cemetery. Memorials can be made to McKee Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Murdock Chapel, 132 East Pine, Columbus, KS 66725. Condolences may be left at murdockfuneralhomes.com