John William Pepper

The youngest of six children of John W. Pepper and Anna V. Connor, John was born and raised in Ashland, PA. Despite spending his teen years in the Great Depression, John had a happy childhood as part of a close family. He spent his first two years of college at the University of Notre Dame, where he developed a life-long love of Fightin’ Irish football. He watched his beloved team as long as he could, including their recent conquest of Wake Forest. From there he moved on to the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated from the dental school. In 1942 he joined the United States Navy. He wound up serving his country as a dentist in the Navy for the next thirty years. While stationed at Bethesda Naval Hospital near Washington, DC, John served as the dentist for two presidents, Kennedy and Johnson.

In 1944 John married his first wife, Dorothy McDonald. They had three children together. In what John described as the first tragedy of his life, Dottie passed away. After some years of being a single father and getting help with the kids from his sister Mary, John met and later married his second wife, Patricia Trozzo. They had two children together.

John retired from the Navy in 1972 and settled down in Coronado, CA, a suburb of San Diego. He spent many happy years there, traveling the world and enjoying retirement. In 1991 John and Pat moved to Tucson, AZ, where they spent many more happy years enjoying the dry desert heat.

John was predeceased by his first wife Dottie and their daughter Moira. He was also predeceased by his siblings: Raymond, Mary, Anna May (Cummings), Margaret (Hurwitz) and Betty (Sister Joanna, IHM). His wife Patricia survives him, as do his sons John M. (Cathy), James (Linda), Kurt (Jenny), Raymond (Vicki), and his daughter-in-law, Nora. John is survived by five grandchildren, Nell, John K., Kevin, Sean and Kara.

John will be remembered by his family and friends as somebody who loved a great joke, and tried his best to tell them. More importantly, he will be remembered as a man who lived his life the right way, with honor and integrity. These qualities made him a wonderful husband, father, friend and human being.

Blessed are those who died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.

Eternal rest grant John, O Lord.

May he rest in peace. Amen.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.