Obituary of Bernice Ann Kepple

Bernice Ann (Walters) Kepple died Sunday, August 8, 2010 at Goodwill Nursing Home, Grantsville, MD. Born January 27, 1947 in Latrobe, PA., she was the daughter of the late Kenneth and Anna Mae Walters. She was also preceded in death by her father-in- law, Howard Kepple, Sr. Bernice grew up in New Alexandria, PA on the family dairy farm. She graduated from Greensburg Salem High School in 1964. On July 24, 1965, she married Howard Richard Kepple, whom she had known since she was four. She and her family resided on a farm outside of Oakland, MD, where a menagerie of animals was raised, including goats, sheep, horses and cows. In 1977, she and her husband founded the Country Kids 4-H Club, which is still active today. In 1984, she went to work for The Republican newspaper, where she worked as a news reporter, writer, salesman and Farm Editor until leaving in 2001. She published her first book, Treasured Memories of My Grandma, in 1995, and recently finished a comprehensive history of the Amish Mennonite Children's Home, now Goodwill Nursing Home, and its former wards. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, as well as a valued and popular resident at Goodwill Nursing Home. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed by her family and many friends. She is survived by her husband Howard Kepple; daughter Cristine Kepple and husband Rick Hall of Oakland and step-grandsons Austin Hall, Boone, NC and Jon-Michael Hall, Jacksonville Beach, FL; son Timothy Kepple of Lander, WY; son Michael Kepple, wife Janet and grandsons Cole and Kyle, Oakland; brother Kenneth and Nancy Walters of New Alexandria, PA., sister Barb and Dennis Yates of Woodberry, Ct., sister Beverly and Jeffrey Frye of Greensburg, PA., and brother Keith of New Alexandria, PA.; mother-in-law Ada Kepple, Grantsville, MD; and her two dogs, Rascal and Princess. Friends will be received at the David A. Burdock Funeral Home, 21 N. Second Street, Oakland, Friday, Aug. 13 from 2 - 4 & 7 - 9 and also Saturday, Aug. 14 from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The funeral will follow Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. The Interment will take place at the family farm outside of Oakland with a private ceremony. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, P.O. Box 4527, New York, NY 10163. For online condolences & guestbook visit www.burdockfuneralhome.com. Service Information