Wade Gates Pepper

Born in Parkersburg, West Virginia on August 11, 1927, Wade grew up in Clarksburg, West Virginia and then graduated from Huntington High School in Huntington, West Virginia. Wade joined the Navy and proudly served in the Pacific theater. As a veteran, Wade attended West Virginia University where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity graduating with a degree in Business. As a lifetime sports enthusiast, Wade was a high school state champion in track and then ran track at WVU. Wade channeled his love for all things sports into tennis where he was a club champion numerous times in singles and doubles at Cherokee Town and Country Club which he enjoyed as a member for forty-five years. Wade also loved his church Peachtree Road United Methodist where he was a member of the Men’s Bible Study and the Timothy Sunday School Class. As a professional, Wade was a recognized leader in music promotion. After 27 years with Capitol Records, Wade retired as the vice president in charge of the Country Music Division. Wade then established Wade Pepper Promotions in Atlanta where he worked closely with Bill Lowery, of the Lowery Group, promoting its extensive catalogue of songs. Wade was inducted in the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame and was a former president of the Country Music Association. Wade worked with many great artists including the band Alabama promoting the gold record song “My home in Alabama," Freddie Hart promoting the gold record song “Easy Lovin” and Ann Murray promoting the gold record song “SnowBird.” Other great artist he promoted during his career include The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Nat King Cole, Buck Owens, Joe South (singer and song writer of such famed songs, “I Beg your Pardon” and “Games People Play”) and Johnny Marks (song writer of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and other Christmas classics). Wade was also a lifetime member of the Gavin Board and as such was a lifetime voting member for the Grammy Awards.

Wade is survived by his wife of 63 years Maria Jane Carter Pepper, his two daughters Craige Pepper Victor and her husband Michael Victor of Erie, Pennsylvania and Carter Pepper DeHaven and her husband Travis DeHaven of Atlanta, Georgia, his grandsons Paul Bowman Root IV and Wade Clayton Root of Erie, Pennsylvania , Clayton Gates DeHaven and Howard Andrew (Drew) DeHaven of Atlanta, Georgia and his granddaughters Courtney Victor Russ and her husband Colin Russ and his great granddaughter Reagan Russ of Cleveland, Ohio and Sloane Victor of Erie, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his sisters Jane Elliot Pepper and Betty Sue Gaylord, his brother Frederick Pepper, his mother Gertrude Mae Gates Pepper and his father Wade Pepper.

There will be a private burial at the Georgia National Cemetery followed by a memorial service starting at 2 o'clock in the afternoon to be held in the Chapel at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church on Tuesday, February 23, 2016. Immediately thereafter the family will received visitors at a reception also to be held at the church.