Lawrence R. Jepsen

Lawrence R. Jepsen, 87, of Emerson, Nebraska died on Monday, February 27, 2012 at the Pender Community Hospital in Pender, Nebraska. Funeral services for Lawrence will be held on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 10:30 A.M. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Emerson; Fr. Gerald Leise will be officiating. The visitation will be held on Wednesday from 4:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the church in Emerson. There will be a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Emerson. Munderloh ~ Smith Funeral Home of Emerson is in charge of the arrangements. Lawrence was born on December 13, 1924 in Wakefield, Nebraska, the son of Christopher and Bertha (Stolle) Jepsen. He attended school at Wakefield Elementary until the family moved to a farm West of Thurston. He then attended Elm’s Bluff rural school through the 8th grade. He was an avid sports fan, playing softball for several years and was a very talented golfer. He owned and operated a filling station in Wakefield for twelve years, until moving to a farm East of Emerson, where he farmed until 1970, when he moved into Emerson. He worked for Kellog Construction for many years, was Thurston County Commissioner, and later worked for Dakota County. He was school bus superintendent for Emerson-Hubbard schools for eight years and maintenance manager for Emerson Housing for several years until retiring in 2000. He was married to Evelyn Coan on November 8, 1944. She died in August of 1988. To this union three sons were born: Gary, Douglas and Lowell. He married Elsie Carman in September of 1990. Lawrence is survived by his wife Elsie of Emerson, children Gary and wife Chris of Tampa Bay, FL, Douglas and wife Irina of Lincoln, NE and Lowell and wife Sue of Columbus, NE; step children Bill and wife Wendy Carman of Sharpsburg, GA, Pat and wife Terri Carman of Augusta, KS and Theresa Zorgdrager of Emerson, Nebraska. He is also survived by his eleven grandchildren, ten great grandchildren, six step grandchildren and four step great grandchildren. Lawrence is also survived by his brother Leon and wife Ruth Jepsen of Emerson and his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Evelyn and a granddaughter Christina Jepsen.