On January 22, 1933, Leroy and Norma Holsten Jepperson welcomed their first child, a bouncing baby boy they named Robert Leroy Jepperson. On December 4, 2020, they welcomed him back to his heavenly home.
After a valiant and difficult battle with cancer, Robert (Bob) passed just as he would have chosen, in his sleep. He can spend Christmas this year with his sweet wife, Lanice Keate Jepperson.
Bob was raised with a younger sister, Marsha, eleven years his junior, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The two of them were surrounded by extended family and loving cousins. Bob and Marsha had a sweet relationship despite their age difference. She followed him everywhere he went, and begged to do his chores, and he became her taxi service when he got his driver’s license.
He attended West High School, where he played on the football and baseball teams, and expanded his love of painting. Sports and art took a backseat, however, when he started making the big bucks and bought his first car - a Blue Ford with whitewall tires. That Ford, and his dynamic personality soon caught the eye of Lanice Keate. They dated for a couple of years and were married September 7, 1956 in the Salt Lake Temple. Their first years together were spent with many wonderful, lifelong friends. They enjoyed waterskiing at Bear Lake, snow skiing, and dancing together at the Rainbow Rendezvous, the Avalon, and Saltair.
Bob attended the University of Utah. He was an incredible artist and received awards from the U. He was a perfectionist and a hard worker and thereby took his calling as a breadwinner very seriously. He became a fabulous salesman. He worked for outstanding companies such as Nabisco, Libby Foods, Brylcream, Noxell Corporation, Dickies, and his favorite, Union Underwear, otherwise known as Fruit of the Loom. Bob loved people and they loved him. He would spend hours talking to buyers and suppliers and becoming fast friends. One year he was named Salesman of the Year for Union Underwear and they sent he and his family to Hawaii.
Bob and Lanice loved to travel with family and friends. They also enjoyed playing tennis together. They were devoted University of Utah Basketball fans and were season ticketholders with their friends for decades. They were in study groups, bridge groups, and dinner groups with wonderful people who became lasting, incredible friends.
Bob and his father-in-law Harry Keate built the house in East Millcreek that they lived in for 61 years. The home and area were the perfect place to raise a family.
Bob was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He enjoyed each generation and followed each child closely in all activities, attending an endless stream of sports events and dance recitals. His face would light up when grandchild or great-grandchildren entered a room – he loved each of them so dearly. He prayed for each member of his family individually each evening with Lanice. After she had passed, he continued the practice as he prayed next to her picture. It was something special to hear him pray. It was always personal, thoughtful, and with great faith.
He was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He thoroughly enjoyed his church callings and took his ministering seriously. He loved teaching primary with his wife. He especially liked working at the Bishop’s Storehouse and in the marriage waiting room in the Salt Lake Temple with Lanice.
Bob was catered to by Lanice for most of his adult life. She took great care of him. When she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago, he was given the opportunity to reverse those roles and he did so with patience, love, and tenderness.
Bob is survived by his children Julie (Chuck) Dunford, Lisa (Greg) Snyder, Scott (Melanie) Jepperson, and Heather (Joseph) Welch; fifteen grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren with two more on the way; Brother-in law David (Kathy) Keate and brother-in law Newell Payne; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Lanice; his parents; in-laws Harry and Myrtle Keate; sister, Marsha Everett; and his sister-in-law, Beverly Payne.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 11:00 am at the East Millcreek Stake Center, 3103 East Craig Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah. Interment will follow at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah. Funeral services will be available to zoom at http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/saltlakeeastmillcreekstake for those wishing to watch the proceedings at home. Covid-19 guidelines including mask and social distancing will be required at the services.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wasatchlawn.com for the Jepperson family.
