Brian J. Epping Obituary (1959 - 2014)

Brian J. Epping, 55, of Bloomington, tragically passed away Saturday (October 11, 2014) while assisting at the scene of an accident. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday (October 16, 2014) at Wesley United Methodist Church, Bloomington. Cremation rites will be accorded after the services. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington. Memorial contributions may be made to Wesley United Methodist Church, Bloomington or the American Heart Association. To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com. He was born March 15, 1959 in Peoria, son of James and Marian Lenart Epping. He married Rebecca Laitas on January 2, 1982. Brian will now be reunited with his father, James Epping and his brother-in-law, Robert Hatfield. Left to mourn in his absence are his loving wife, Becky Epping, Bloomington; his daughter, Kelsey (Cody) Wickenhauser, St. Louis; his mother, Marian Epping, Bloomington; his brother, Patrick (Mary) Epping, Trenton, NJ; four sister-in-laws, Jeanne (James) Stump, Peggy Hatfield, Cindy (Kenny) Kiesewetter and Susan Laitas. He also leaves behind two furry friends, his kitties, Desi and Lucy, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and good friends. Brian graduated from Metamora High School in 1977 and played on the State championship football team. He then graduated from Illinois State University in 1981 with a Bachelors Degree in Industrial Engineering. He worked for GTE/Verizon as an engineer for 30 years until his retirement in 2009. Brian was a hard-working man and loved his family more than anything. He had a heart for serving others and had a gentle demeanor. He had a wonderful sense of humor, which only grew as he became the brunt of joke gifts at the Laitas family Christmases. One of his passions was baseball, and he spent much of his time catching, coaching and cheering at his daughters softball games from tee-ball throughout college. He and his brother, Patrick, enjoyed kicking back with a brew and a game of APBA dice baseball. He could often be found in his "man-cave," listening to his vast music collection. He spent his evenings relaxing with his wife, watching movies and playing board games. He was thrilled about the addition of Cody as his new son in 2012. He is our hero.