Robert P. Hepfer

Obituary of Robert P. Hepfer

Robert P. "Bob" Hepfer, age 70, of Iowa City, died peacefully on January 23, 2026, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Funeral services will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Iowa City where a period of visitation will take place from 10 am until service time at the church. Following the funeral mass, a time of fellowship and lunch will be held in the social hall of the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Bob's honor to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Bob was born January 22, 1956, in Lansing, Michigan, the son of Donald E. and Emma O. (Schultz) Hepfer. Growing up, he and his four siblings helped their parents run an 80-acre dairy farm in Williamston, Michigan. For Bob, mornings, evenings, and weekends were spent tending to livestock and crops, and during the day he was a dedicated and hard-working student. He graduated as valedictorian of Haslett High School in 1974. He then went to Michigan State University, where he graduated with high honors, receiving a B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 1978. Traces of his hard work and brilliance can be found scrawled throughout his many college textbooks in his signature, sharp handwriting.

Just prior to Bob's college graduation, fate played a magical role in his life. As an intern for Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio), he took up residence in a dormitory on the campus of John Carroll College. It was there, in the summer of 1978, that he discovered his love of Cleveland-area bagels. But most importantly, Bob met and fell in love with Julia Marie "Julie" Sanner, who was enrolled at John Carroll and taking summer courses. Bob and Julie were united in marriage on June 13, 1981.

Bob started his career as a process engineer with Sohio in late 1978. He and Julie made their home in the Cleveland area, raising their two sons, Brad and David, in Macedonia and Hudson, Ohio. Bob stayed with the same company when BP completed its merger with Sohio in 1987. He again remained with the company when BP and Amoco merged in 1998, which resulted in his family moving to St. Charles, Illinois. Upon his retirement, Bob celebrated a 44-year career with just one company-dedication almost unheard of today. And even though Bob would never boast, his professional successes were many. He played an instrumental role in designing and making operational two major chemical plants-maleic anhydrite and BDO-and assisted on many other projects. In his search for engineered solutions, he successfully co-authored five patents, including one still pending with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Throughout his career, Bob never forgot the lessons he learned growing up on the farm, and he carried them into everything he did.

To Bob, family and faith were his top priorities. From their wedding day to his final breath, Bob was a dedicated and devoted husband. To outsiders, it was always clear that Bob and Julie were soulmates who had found true love. For his family, Bob was always generous with his time and wisdom. He sought to share lessons of hard work, persistence, dedication, and love of family. A family man, Bob wore many hats and wore them well, but the one he wore best was Grandpa. He was always up for any adventure with his granddaughters, Natalie and Hannah. The three of them made countless memories and shared deeply rooted bonds that will withstand the test of time.

Bob was a spiritual man who always strove to do His will. He was a devoted member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Iowa City, Iowa, a community that he and Julie joined nearly two years ago. Before that, for over 25 years, he was a member of St. John Neumann Church in St. Charles, Illinois, where he developed many lasting friendships through TMIY.

His family includes his wife, Julie; sons, Bradford Hepfer (Katie) and David Hepfer; his two adoring granddaughters, Natalie and Hannah; sisters, Betty White (John), Brenda Sommer (Denny), and Ruth Hepfer (Neil O'Brien); and brother, Donald Hepfer II (Dee).

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and his brother-in-law, Gary Endres.