John Richard Eppley

John Eppley (93) died September 8, 2026, in Rochester, Minnesota.

John Richard Eppley was born May 17, 1933, in Crawford County, Ohio, the son of Chester and Grace (Hieber) Eppley. He attended Holmes-Liberty School through sixth grade followed by Bucyrus Junior and Senior High School, graduating in 1951. From 1951 to 1958, he attended The Ohio State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

In 1956, John married Josephine (Jody) Craner. They lived in Columbus, Ohio, and Bellville, Ohio, before moving to Fort Dodge, Iowa, in 1960. They moved to Humboldt, Iowa, in 1970 and to Rochester, Minnesota, in 2011.

From 1960 to 1993, John worked at the Fort Dodge Laboratories in Pharmaceutical Research and Development as well as Quality Assurance. He was associated with the Animal Health Institute, a veterinary medical trade association, and from 1980 to 1981 he served as chair of the Animal Drug Section. He was a life member of the American Veterinary Medical Association as well as a member and long-time secretary/treasurer of the North Central Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.

While in Humboldt, John was an active member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, serving as Congregation Council member and president, and member of the choir. He belonged to the Rotary Club, serving as secretary/treasurer and president as well as arranging for foreign exchange students. John also was active in Hospice and mentored students. Together with Jody, he was honored in 2008 with the Humboldt Family Tradition Spirit Award. After moving to Rochester, John was a Mayo Clinic Volunteer, a member of Mount Olive Lutheran Church, and a member of the Golden "K" Kiwanis Club.

John is survived by his wife, Jody; daughter Johanna (Robert) Meyer of Rochester, Minnesota; daughter Arden (Paolo) Lovagnini of Hopkins, Minnesota; son Daniel (Alecia) Eppley of Oak Park, Illinois; and grandchildren Christopher (Alyssa) Lovagnini, Matthew Meyer, Julianne Eppley, Jonathan Lovagnini, Michael (Louisa) Eppley-Ishida, and Jacob Eppley.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Chester and Grace Eppley, and his brothers, Warren and Harold Eppley, all of Bucyrus, Ohio.

John enjoyed woodworking, refinishing furniture, and making home improvements. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing, making several deer hunting trips to Wyoming. John and his family traveled extensively throughout the United States. During their retirement years, he and Jody participated in numerous international volunteer work projects.

A memorial service will be held at Mount Olive Lutheran Church (Rochester, Minnesota) on Saturday, September 19, at 11:00 a.m., with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. John will be interred in the columbarium at Oakwood Cemetery in Bucyrus, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Lutheran World Relief.