Richard Rick Michael Kepler

Richard “Rick” Michael Kepler, 64, of La Verne, California, succumbed to a heart attack at his home on September 8, 2014. Born in Detroit, Michigan on June 27th, 1950 to Louis and Ida Kepler he lived most of his life in Southern California.

Rick is survived by his daughter Chandra Kepler, sons Derek (Elaine) Kepler and Garrett Kepler, granddaughter Cassidy Kepler, sisters Cindy Phillips and Shelley Messina. He was a loving father, grandfather, brother and friend to all that knew him.

Rick was a self-starter who built several businesses from the ground up. He purchased a small company called M&N Restaurant Equipment in the early 80s which he built up and renamed to Kepler’s Restaurant Equipment. In the early 90s he started another company called Fire and Ice Refrigeration which he ran with his youngest son Garrett who is continuing on with the business without him.

Rick had a larger than life personality and lived a big life. When he walked into a room you immediately felt his presence. He made friends everywhere he went and made a point to grow those friendships however small they started out as. He would go to the supermarket at the same times on the same days so he could talk with his favorite check stand clerk. He kept the same barber, banker, mechanic and business associates for years and years, turning most if not all of them into friends along the way. He had an ever growing circle of friends that will miss him dearly. He loved people and to know him was to love him as well.

He truly got joy out of the little things in life such as family gatherings, dinner with friends or just sitting and laughing with his granddaughter for hours as he read her stories or she combed his hair in many different styles making “grandpa look good” as he would say. Rick had 3 true passions; his family and friends, especially his children and granddaughter, racing of any kind from mechanical frogs to top fuel dragsters and talking with friends, especially about current events and politics.

A special thank you to Cindy Phillips, Mark Walters and John Ewald for their loving care and support during this difficult time.

Funeral services for Rick will be at Riverside National Cemetery on Friday September 19th at 1:15pm. Memorial donations may be made in Rick’s name to the American Heart Association, PO Box 742030, Los Angeles, CA 90074-2030.