Joseph Parke Pepper

Joseph Parke Pepper, 85, passed away Monday, September 8, 2025. Joe was born December 4, 1939 in Leavenworth, Kansas. As a lifelong resident of Weston, Missouri, he graduated from West Platte high school in 1957. Following high school, he attended Northwest Missouri State from 1957-1958, studying agriculture. Joe was a proud member of the United Sates Marine Corps from 1962-1965 where he was one of five to receive PFC rank out of boot camp.

Most of us remember Joe as a farmer. He joined his father in farming locally in Weston in 1965, forming Pepper and Son. In 1975, Pepper and Son became JP Farms, Inc which continued to operate until 1995. JP Farms was a diversified operation that specialized in the production of soybeans, corn, wheat, rye, tobacco and cattle. Joe also was involved with many agricultural organizations. He was a member of the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation for over 50 years, serving on the Platte County board and state board. Joe served as a member, board member, and board president for the Missouri Soybean Association and served as a board member for the American Soybean Association. He helped establish the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council where he served as the first chairman. He was also a council member for the U.S. Soybean Merchandising Council. Joe was a member, board member, and board president of the Missouri Seed Improvement Association. Lastly, Joe was a member for over 20 years of the Missouri Corn Growers Association. As recognition for his contributions to agriculture, Joe received the Balanced Farming Award in 1967 from the University of Missouri College of Agriculture. He was also made an honorary lifetime member of the University of Missouri College of Agriculture Alumni Association in 1986 and was a proud Tiger. Joe was further honored for his work in agriculture with the Agriculture Council of America Leadership Service award and the University of Missouri County Farm Management award and was honored by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Joe served on the Governor's Advisory Council on Agriculture from 1977-1981, the Agricultural Council of America board from 1975-1977, and the Missouri Air Conservation Committee Board from 1975-1980.

Service of many types was an important and lifelong part of Joe's life. He was a member of the Weston Christian Church Disciples of Christ for over 70 years where he served as a Sunday School teacher, deacon, elder, and as a board member and board chairman. Joe served as a board member and chair for the Graceland Cemetery Association, member and chair of the City of Weston Board of Adjustment, and as a board member and museum host for the Weston Historical Museum Board. He was a member of Weston Jaycees and served as the state chairman of the Missouri Jaycees. He was awarded Raymond Dydell Award for Community Service in 2004 and received the U.S. Jaycees Outstanding Young Farmer Award in 1972. Joe was also a member of the Weston Rotary Club. Joe was a proud member of the Weston Masonic Lodge #53 starting in 1974 and was a Lodge Past Master in 1982. He too was a Shriner with the Moila Temple 1975-1977.

If you did not know Joe as a farmer or as Marine, you likely knew him as a Boy Scout. As a youth, he achieved the rank of Life with 28 merit badges with Troop 249 (1951-1957). He was a member of the Mic-O-Say honors society as a Brave (1955), Warrior (1956), and Fire Builder (1957). Joe's involvement with the Boy Scouts deepened as an adult. His trainings, positions, and awards are truly too numerous to name in total but highlights include: serving as a commissioner at both Bartle and Naish Scout Reservations, Assistant Scoutmaster, committee member and merit badge instructor for Weston Troop 249, Northstar District Award of Merit, founding member of the Hayworth Scouting Foundation, Sachem in the tribe of Mic-O-Say, Lifetime Achievement Award at Camp Nash, and Northstar District Lifetime Achievement Award.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents Parke and Inez Pepper. He is survived by his wife Lyn Pepper; children Parke (Betsy), Mike (Jenny), and Carolyn (Brian Stephens) Pepper; grandchildren Reagan, Yates, Ash Pepper; Thomas (Emma) and Daniel Pepper; Matthew and Michael Stephens; and great-grand son Sterling Oberschmidt. Services will be held at Vaughn Funeral Home, Weston Missouri with visitation on Friday, September 12, 2025 5-7pm, (6:30 pm Masonic Service) and funeral on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 10:30am. Graveside service with military honors will be held immediately following at Graceland Cemetery in Weston. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be given to the Hayworth Scouting Foundation or to the Weston Christian Church Disciples of Christ.