Obituary: Hepton, Robert
Age 77
And the peace I give is a gift the World cannot give.
So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 14:27 This amazing gift of God’s grace has comforted and sustained the family and friends of Robert Hepton as they try to understand his sudden and unexpected passing on March 28, 2015.
Bob was born on June 8, 1937 to Virgil and Clara Dziuk Hepton in Spokane, Washington.
He attended St. Paschals grade school and graduated from Central Valley High School in 1955 where he was very involved with FFA.
He attended Eastern Washington State College for two years.
The family farm in Greenacres planted a love of animals and farming in Bob’s heart.
He worked with his dad, learning valuable lessons on the farm and feedlots.
The extended family also had a grain ranch in St. Marie, ID.
where he worked with his cousins.
Fred and Jim Hepton.
In 1964, he bought a small farm of his own in Greenacres and on April 23, 1966, he married Judy Reinbold.
They raised thoroughbred horses for a few years, racing them in Coeur d’Alene, Yakima, Spokane, Seattle, and Portland.
In 1968, a daughter, Jackie, joined the family and in 1970 a son, John.
A new adventure awaited all of them as they sold the farm and moved to a cattle ranch on Crow Creek near Enterprise, OR.
In 1975 son, Jeffrey, joined the ranch crew.
The family grew up and thrived even though sometimes the work days were long- branding calves, trailing cattle to pasture, feeding hay in the winter.
But there were perks - fishing for trout in Crow Creek a few feet from the back door and in their own private pond that Bob had built.
In 1989 Bob, Judy and Jeff moved to Asotin, WA.
where they had cattle and raised hogs, selling many as 4-H and FFA projects.
As the cattle and hog market declined, life changed as animals were sold.
A few years ago, Bob decided to raise quarter horses and purchased brood mares and his stallion, Willy.
Bob loved: above all else his family; building houses with his mom; fishing with his grandchildren and traveling to watch them complete in Irish dance competitions - even to Scotland; ranching on Crow Creek; good horses, cattle and cow dogs; County and State Fairs; portraying Santa Claus at church and the nursing home; raising seedlings and veggies to give away, especially to his sisters-in-law; volunteering by delivering Meals on Wheels, help with Family Promise and serving with the First Presbyterian Church mission team on local mission trips; watching the Seahawks and Gonzaga basketball having recently returned from Vegas to see the Zags in the WCC tournament.
Bob will be remembered for: his genuine smile, generous spirit and hearty laugh; his good natured willingness to help anyone who needed a hand; helping his kids and their friends with 4-H and FFA projects; figuring out how to put this and that together to make something useful; his special family nicknames and his gift of telling stories.
His parents and a sister, Patsy Hepton, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife, Judy, on Asotin Creek; daughter and son-in-law, Jackie and Dwight Fleming, Enterprise, OR; son and daughter-in-law John and Jodi Hepton, Nampa, ID and son and daughter-in-law Jeff and Heather Hepton, Wenatchee, WA; grandchildren: Jocelyn and Joshua Benton and Jordan Hepton of Nampa; Elizabeth and Jenissa Hepton of Wenatchee along with bonus grandsons Brad Fleming, LaGrande, OR and CJ Scott, Wenatchee.
He also enjoyed three great-grandchildren, Holland, Riken and Piper.
Also surviving him is a brother in Spokane, David Hepton, brothers and sisters-in-law: Bob and Jeneane Wilkinson of Spokane and Curtis and Joan Hisaw of Cheney, and several cousins.
Bob’s favorite song was “Prime the Pump” which tells the story of a well out in the desert with two bottles attached to the pump.
One is filled with water, one with a note saying, “you’ve got to prime the pump, have faith and believe.
You’ll have all the water you need- just leave the bottle full for others.”
Bob left our “bottles” filled in hundreds of ways.
A celebration of life will be held on May 31 in the Asotin City park starting at 12:30.
The family will provide BBQ beef, drinks and table service.
Please join us with a potluck dish and your own stories of knowing Bob.
Memorials may be made to the Asotin Fair Board marked for the new livestock barn or the Clarkston First Presbyterian Church designated for the missions ministry.