Lt. Col. William J. Epperson USAF Retired, known as Jack to all his friends, family and coworkers passed away peacefully at the age of 92 at home in Johns Creek Georgia on March 21, 2021. He was born in Tennga Georgia, a small town on the border of Georgia and Tennessee on April 5, 1928. He spent most of his formative years living in and around Athens TN and graduated from McMinn County High School in 1946.
Jack joined the Air Force in 1952 and in less than a year went from an Airman 1st class to a Lieutenant flying F-84 fighters in the Korean war. Jack served 21 years in the Air Force as a pilot and towards the end of his career a Squadron Commander of C-130’s and B-52’s. Jack participated in two wars. He flew the F-84 Thunderjet in the Korean war AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 100 COMBAT MISSIONS. in the Vietnam war he flew C-130’s as well as B-52 bombers. Jack also flew and commanded a squadron of B-52’s throughout the “cold war”.
He received many medals and honors including the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals. Jack retired from service as a Lt. Col. And eventually went into real estate sales. Jack and his wife Jib of 64 years started a real estate brokerage that closed over 200 new homes a year at its peak. As his real estate career wound down he and Jib established an online real estate school in the late 1990’s before online learning was known to more than a handful of people.
Although his career was flying aircraft his passion was boating. Over the years he owned many types of boats from ski boats, sail boats to houseboats. He and jib spent many weekends at their houseboat on Lake Lanier over the years.
Jack was preceded in death by his son Robert (Bob) Epperson in 1984 and is survived by his wife of 64 years Evelyn (Jib) Epperson and his son and daughter-in law Bill and Evelyn Epperson of Johns Creek and daughter Martha Knapp of Gold Hill Colorado. He is also survived by his grandson Josh Epperson of Johns Creek Georgia.
