David Joseph Epling

David was born on January 24, 1958 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. His parents were Joseph & Catherine Epling. David was raised in Lansing, Michigan and Las Vegas, Nevada. David was raised with 8 sibling. He had 3 sisters, JoAnn, Karen and Annette. And 5 brothers John, Thomas, James, Kevin and Bryan. David's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during his childhood. As a young boy, David enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. David took part in roller skating, ice skating and kickball. He was also a Cub Scout and attended faith formation classes. In his spare time he liked going to the creek to collect salamanders, playing Risk and Monopoly.

In school, David was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. He sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of his classes. He would eagerly complete his homework, and often put in extra study time when he felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, David was always good at following directions and meeting his schedules, whether they were set by his teachers or were self-imposed. David’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” He graduated from Clark High School in 1976.

David was sociable and approachable. Because he was always so straightforward in how he approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. He enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When David was a member of the Sharks soccer team which he brought to the championship games! He was also a Nevada State Frisbee champion. While growing up, some of his best friends were Omar Mateo, Steve Raffail, Danny Hoyt Whilhelm, Robert Langeliers, James Merten, Scott Malken, Al and Carlos. Later in life, he became friends with Michelle Juhl, Michael, Jay Pierson, Jeff, Val, Anna, Chris, Randy, Harold, Nick Robyn, Eduardo and Rodrigo.

David was ever watchful of his children. He worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. He maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. David would give his stamp of approval to their requests, as long as he could see how they might benefit. He also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that his children were properly raised. David was blessed with 4 children, Marissa Weatherholt, Paul Epling, Tiana Epling and Sarah Epling.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, David was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, David was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. He worked cooperatively and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, David upheld his standards. His primary occupation was as A Dealer Supervisor. He was employed for The Strat. David was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

David approached his leisure time in the same manner that he approached his life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, he appreciated the hours he was able to devote to his various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were pocket watch collecting, scrolling through EBay, reading, camping, fishing, golfing, baseball, soccer, Frisbee, boating and skiing. David was content to enjoy his favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for David to do in life and that carried over to his enjoyment of sports. Recreational sports included baseball, golf, skiing, boating and fishing. He also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were golf, football (Broncos) and baseball (Phillies).

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, David used his scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that he made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. David had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included seeing the Redwoods, California Coast, Whistler, Canada and to Boston and Philly.

David was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of David’s favorites was His cat Blue. Blue was a stray cat that would follow dad back to his Apartment when he'd get home from work. After several weeks dad invited Blue inside and would let him out at the end of the night. Eventually Blue didn't want to leave so he bought him a litter box and food bowl as well as a crate so he could take him to get shots so they could be roommates.

He is survived by his children Marissa, Paul and Tiana. His mother Catherine; brothers and sisters JoAnn, John, tom, Jjimmy, Karen, Annette, Bryon and Kevin. Services were held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. David was laid to rest in Eagle Valley Reservoir in Nevada.

All who knew him would agree that David was a pillar of the community. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. David Joseph Epling did his best to ensure that his family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life he touched was given the chance to become a better person.