Rev. J. Pepper
December 6, 1930 ~ March 12, 2017
Rev. J. David Pepper age 86 of Lawler, IA, died Sunday, March 12, 2017, at Linn Haven Rehab and Healthcare in New Hampton.
A Memorial Mass will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 16, 2017, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, Lawler, IA, with Archbishop Michael O. Jackels celebrating the Mass. Friends may greet the family an hour prior to the Mass at the church.
Funeral arrangements with Hugeback - Johnson Funeral Home in Lawler.
The Reverend J. David Pepper, the son of Raymond and Ethel (McGlynn) Pepper was born in Boone County, Iowa on December 6, 1930. He attended the rural school of Boone County, Gilbert High School, Loras College and Mount Saint Bernard’s Seminary. Father Pepper was Ordained a priest on February 1, 1958, at St. Raphael’s Cathedral, Dubuque. Father served the parishes at St. Joseph’s in Marion; Immaculate Conception in Cedar Rapids; Sacred Heart in Waterloo; Nativity in Dubuque; St. Mary in Waverly; Holy Name in Shell Rock; St John in Clarion; our Lady of Mt. Carme, Lawler; and Our Lady of the Assumption, Little Turkey. He retired from the active priesthood in 1996 in Lawler.
A highlight of Father’s career came during his pastorship at St Mary’s in Waverly. The sculpture “Dancing St. Francis” is a landmark on the Wartburg Campus and a gift from Father Pepper and others to the students of Wartburg, who enjoyed dressing the statue for the weather. In 1999 Father received a distinguished citation from the Wartburg Alumni association in recognition of the many contributions he made to the college community.
Father made lasting friendships among the thousands of parishioners and faithfully served during his fifty-eight-year career.
Father is survived by three sisters: Joan Kerrigan, Kate (Richard) Jordan and Mary Jensen, and two brothers’ Gene (Joan) Pepper and Bill (Ginny) Pepper, along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Phil, Bernhard, Raymond (Bud); and sisters Jane Pepper, Margaret McCartney, Betty Driver, and Bernadine Kalen.
A Family gathering and Mass will be held at Sacred Heart in Boone at a later date.
A grateful thank you to Grace Arens and her family for their care for Father over twenty-eight years.
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It was a great honor to know Father Pepper he was a wonderful priest,he married my husband and me january 13,1968 in cedar rapids iowa at immaculate conception church also baptized our first child. i will always remember his kind warm reassuring personality. He was one of the best~Rest in Peace,God bless mike and deede ryan, Waukon,Iowa
You will be deeply missed by the community you served and the lasting impression you left on it. May you find peace with the man you served so many years.
God bless Father Pepper. Although I have lived all of my adult life away for my native Cedar Rapids, I am saddened to learn of Father Pepper’s passing. He married my wife and I in 1968 at Immaculate Conception Church in Cedar Rapids. I also served as an altar boy for some of his masses and have fond memories of interacting with him. I always felt that he was a happy priest and that he made everybody he met happier too. I feel blessed that he was part of my life and will continue to cherish my memories of him. My condolences to his family. Chuck Augustin Denton, TX
God Bless You Father Pepper from the Joe and Signora Goss family. Your constant counsel, support and prayers during the difficulties our family experienced the last five years was overwhelming. I cannot thank you enough for being there for us as well as my brother Gene when we needed God (and you) the most. I’m sure the cards were on the table and Mom & Father Pete ready to play on your arrival!
God Bless you, Father. You were a good friend to my dad and were such a kind, gentle, and accepting spirit. You have earned your rest with the Heavenly Father. I wish you peace.
Father Pepper is my role model for tolerance and faith. Miss him much.
Oh Father Pepper…you will be missed. You were my kind of priest. God rest your soul.
Father Pepper, thank-you for being an excellent example of a Catholic Priest. No doubts in my mind you are resting in peace.
My sympathies to the family of Father Pepper: In addition to being a prestigious member of the Lawler community, he was a great friend of Wartburg College and the Waverly community when he served as Pastor there. When I served on the Wartburg’s Alumni Board of Regents, we awarded him the Alumni Board of Regents Citation for his work with the campus minister, Pastor Larry Trachte in the unification of student worship and activities on campus. All students Lutheran and Catholic were made to feel welcome at worship services. Father was one of the main contributors who placed the Dancing St. Francis bronze statue on the Wartburg campus near the Wartburg Chapel. May you rest in peace our dear Father.
Fr. Pepper baptized my sister Melanie in 1979 at St. Mary’s in Waverly. She was his first baby at that parish to baptize. My brother Craig and I were her Godparents and he was so complementary and encouraging. Told us at age 13 and 14 what a big responsibility we had. He was a very wonderful priest: funny, kind, nonjudgmental- and loved God’s people – no matter the denomination. I’m sure he touched many hearts.
Rest In Peace Father Pepper. A job well done. Greg called you Dr. Pepper too. Greg was a burly guy kind of like Grizzly Adams. Remember waiting outside of St. Mary’s in Waverly & you came to our car . You teased Greg because you thought it was a Bear sitting in the drivers seat. You are looking DD by many.
Loved By many !
When Father Pepper was called Dr. Pepper by many children, his response would be ‘Yup, that’s my pop!’
A dear man who touched the lives of so many. I’ll cherish my memories of him and all the care and support he provided our family and the St. Mary parish in Waverly. He was loved by all and will be missed deeply. Tom and Karen (Shonka) Kuhlmann and family
2 special memories among so many–joining the Catholic Church after telling me it was entirely up to me and there was nothing wrong with being a strong and faithful Lutheran. Second-calling us to ask about our son and pretending he was ‘Joe Fortunato’. Rest In Peace-God bless
Our condolences to the family. Father Pepper married us at IC Church in Cedar Rapids in 1965. When we went to the rectory to talk with him the first time, he answered the door. I introduced myself and then asked, ‘Are you Doctor Pepper?’ I was mortified, and he thought it was funny. Over the years, we sometimes tell people we were married by ‘Dr. Pepper.’ Rest in Peace, Doctor.
We were so blessed to have Fr. Pepper officiate our marriage 34 years ago. He was a wonderful pastor and priest. My husband and I always chuckle recalling his cowboy boots peaking beneath his vestments at our wedding! We exchanged Christmas cards for a few years and will always think of him, with fondness. One year he sent me a birthday card, with my baptism date, which is how I found out St. Patrick’s Day is my spiritual birthday! God’s blessing’s be upon you. Rest in peace, Fr. Pepper:) Chris and Lorraine Pacha
I was a student at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, when I met Father Pepper. He was so well liked by so many students. I stayed in touch with him for a several years after graduating. Father Pepper concelebrated our wedding mass October 5, 1974 at St. Mathews Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with Father Thomas Kistling. At that time he was located in Dubuque, Iowa. He made the trip to Cedar Rapids for our wedding, My husband John and I were so happy to see him on the alter. He was a GREAT friend to many and will be missed. God bless you and may you rest in peace. Kris & John Bloodgood, Palo, Iowa.
Fr. Pepper baptized one or more of our children at Immaculate Conception in Cedar Rapids. My husband’s mother saw a snapshot and thought Fr. Pepper was my husband, David. We shared this with him and every time he saw my husband, he said ‘Just like lookin’ in a mirror.’ 🙂 We thought he was a great guy. Rest in peace J.David Pepper.
He use to in..call me Eruptio..meaning sally forth in Latin or Sandy Sadler who fought Willie Pep at one time in boxing…Fantastic teacher at Regis. Brings a smile to my face remembering him.
Bouska Family lit a candle in memory of Rev. J. David Pepper
God bless Fr. Pepper. I had the pleasure of working for him in Waverly and meeting family one snowy Thanksgiving. You’re in my prayers.
Nancy Pospisil Stranczek and Karen Pospisil Tousey will forever carry fond and treasured memories of our DEAR Father Pepper. Father Pepper has been a part of our family life for over 50 years. He married Nancy and Norm Stranczek on August 21,1965 and was a part of the celebration renewing their vows on their 50th Anniversary at Immaculate Conception Church August 22, 2015 The photo is our last photo with Father at that celebration. Father Pepper has Baptized our children and was a part of our parents funerals. Forever in our hearts YOU Father Pepper will be with us in Blessings and Loving Memories!!!!!!!! We will truly miss not hear you saying…..’How are my Czech sisters and The Polish Prince’ and especially the lunches we shared as we traveled to share time with our Favorite Father.. God Bless you Father Pepper ……
Our deepest sympathy to Fr. Pepper’s family, from friends in Waverly, Ia. Norman and Carol Herman
Or thoughts and prayers go out to Fr. Peppers family and also Grace Arens who gave so much care to Father. Father Pepper was a great supporter of prolife and esp. Four Seasons For Life in Fredericksburg He will be very missed by us. Eternal rest grant unto his soul and all souls of the faithful departed. Friends Norb and Mary Gansen
RIP Father Pepper! You earned your wings and was loved by many people. You were one of the best! Jean Hilbert
Our St. Marys Parish in Waverly was very fortunate to have such a kind and loving Priest as Father Pepper. He will be remembered dearly. May he rest in peace. Joan McCready
Fr. Pepper was a great friend and mentor to our family. My dad idolized him and Fr. Pepper responded in kind. They would go back and forth praising each other and sharing some joke or silly thought, always commenting on my dad being 10 years his senior. Dad was always trying to teach him some Czech words to use in general conversation and Fr. was a willing, if not successful, learner and would have to polish pronunciation at the next meeting! Our special memories of him are that when we were expecting, in 1991, our youngest daughter, Jaclyn, we didn’t know if she would be a girl or a boy. The names chosen were Jaclyn for a girl and Nicholas for a boy. So Fr. would compromise whenever we would meet and call the expectant child Jac-Nick. The name stuck and she was thereafter known as Jacnick! Even when he baptized her, he called her Jacnick. The name on her birth certificate did stay as Jaclyn tho! The name is still used lovingly today!!! Jaclyn, as well as our other 2 daughters Amy and Becky, grew up loving him and sharing their lives with him when they randomly met. And he never failed to ask about them, and took a keen interest in their lives, whenever we would meet at a social event. He had a knack of drawing you into a permanent friendship! He will be missed, but not forgotten! May God bless him and welcome him home! The Irish have lost a great comrade here on earth! Gerald and Marla Busta
When Father Pepper served in Waverly, he was very supportive of the ACCW and referred to our local ladies as: ‘The Belles of St. Mary’s’. He has remained a friend to many of our parishoners over the years and we know he has earned his Heavenly reward. Rest in peace, Father! Edna and John Brunkhorst
My prayers for father pepper and his family. He was at immaculate conception in cedar rapids when I came down from northwest Iowa after high school graduation to work. I had many visits with him and treasured his friendship. John per due Perry, ia
Although I didn’t know Father Pepper, I was impressed to read about the statue he gave to Wartburg College…. I graduated from Wartburg in 1961, and I doubt the gift was there at that time. However, I think if was so nice of Father Pepper to honor Waverly’s Wartburg College with this awesome gift. On behalf of all students, alumni, and staff of Wartburg, I say ‘THANKS!’ E. C.
Eunice Christensen lit a candle in memory of Rev. J. David Pepper
My prayers for Fr. Pepper. May he Rest In Peace. Amen
Father Pepper could not have been loved by more….. What a huge impression he made in Shell Rock and Waverly as he served Holy Name Church and St.Marys. He brought together more people…especially the young…of many different faiths. One of his strong statements remembered by many at a Mass said at Holy Name Church before it was closed was…’During Lent, if you are invited out for a steak dinner on a Friday, do as I would, have steak and eat your fish another day!’. Dick,JoAnn Carey and Family
Carol lit a candle in memory of Rev. J. David Pepper
Father Pepper married us in 1969 and taught at Regis HS. R.I.P Roger Glubka currently retired in San Antonio. rglubka@twc.com