He was known as “Red” most of his life. Growing up, he worked hard to help support his family during the depression years and was devoted to his mother. In 1944 he joined the army and spent his service time in the South Pacific. He never talked much about his service years and the horrors of war that he endured until much later in his life. Among his war medals is a purple heart, it was a sense of duty to him, not pride.
After discharge from the service, he returned to Missouri where he met and fell in love with Evelyn Gladys Lentz. They were Married on June 25, 1949. They had one child born in Missouri, Mary Ann. After moving to Wichita, Kansas four more children were born: Benjamin Timothy, Cathy Erica, Joseph Michael and Sheryl Kay. Ben and Evelyn celebrated 71 years of marriage before she passed away in 2020. Ben was a devoted husband, and she was the light of his life.
Along with their 5 children their posterity includes 18 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren and 7 great, great grandchildren with 2 more due to be born in December of 2023. Ben was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loved the Savior with his whole heart and mind.
He lived his life as an example of love, kindness and humility to all people. He was mechanically inclined, and it seemed like there was nothing he could not fix. He taught his family to work hard, finish a job completely, enjoy being with family and love the Lord. We have always been a tight knit family who enjoyed each other’s company.
As children he taught us how to play baseball, bowl, swim and we enjoyed camping out together in Missouri. As teenagers he taught us how to drive and to work together with him at Pizza Hut. As Adults, he taught us how to work on our cars and to enjoy being together for Holidays and family events as much as possible. Later in life he was constantly taking home the trophy as the undisputed family Uno champion.
He was quite the comedian and could always make us laugh uncontrollably. We could always go to him with anything that was troubling us, and he would always do whatever he could to help. We could depend on Dad to listen, understand and not pass judgement.
He was more than just our dad, he was our mentor, our friend and he led by his example. His family knows he is with our Savior now and we will miss him and the love he gave us dearly.
A visitation for Benjamin will be held Friday, November 10, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 401 N. Westlink Ave, Wichita, KS 67212, Wichita, KS 67212 with a funeral service to immediately follow at 12:00PM.
A graveside service will occur Friday, November 10, 2023, at 1:00 PM at Resthaven Gardens of Memory, 11800 West Highway 54, Wichita, KS 67209 in The Garden of Freedom.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ResthavenMortuary-Cemetery.com for the Epperson family.
