White Funeral Home
1315 Main Street
Jesup, Iowa 50648

Brandon – Donald Walter Roepke, 73 years old of Brandon, IA, died Monday, January 22, 2018, at the Buchanan County Health Center in Independence, IA.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. – Friday, January 26, 2018, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Independence, IA, with Rev. Michael G. Holmen officiating.  Burial will be at the Brandon Cemetery, Brandon, IA, with Military Rites conducted by Smith-Geater VFW Post # 8884 of Vinton, IA.  Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 25^th at the White Funeral Home, Jesup, IA and for an hour before services Friday at the church.  Memorials will be directed to the VFW Post # 8884 of Vinton for the Voice of Democracy Program of which Don was active in.

Donald was born August 9, 1944, in Waterloo, IA, the son of Walter Stephen Roepke and Carolyn Doris (Jakway) Roepke.  He graduated from Oelwein High School in 1961.  Later in 1961, Don entered the United States Navy and served for 20 years.  His service included time on aircraft carriers and was during the Vietnam War.  Following his Navy years he was employed at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids as a technical writer.  He was first married to Margaret Spence and together they had five children, James, Maureen, Leslee, Gustav and Glenn.  They later divorced.  On September 30, 1983, Donald and Donna Marie Rogers were married at Grace Lutheran Church in Jesup, IA, and they were blessed with a daughter Amanda, and have enjoyed their years together.

Don is survived by his wife, Donna of Brandon; two sons, James Roepke of Haughton LA, Gustav (Theresa) Roepke of Santa Monica, CA; three daughters, Maureen Roepke of Cedar Rapids, Leslee Roepke of Waterloo, IA, and Amanda (Andrew) Johnson of Rowley, IA; 13 grandchildren, Ethan Roepke, Wyatt Roepke, Brianne Roepke, Adam Roepke, Charles “Mitchell” Carpenter, Cole Carpenter, Cameron Carpenter, Gunnar Roepke, Ashley Roepke, Isabella Johnson, Roman Johnson, Abigayle Johnson and Phillip Johnson; one brother, Leland Roepke (Kate Hemingway) of Aurora, IA, two sisters, Annette (Bill) Reimer of Elkader, IA, Mary (Duane) Gerstenberger of Seattle, WA.

His parents, Walter Roepke and Carolyn Roepke Brandt; two brothers, William and Kenneth Roepke and one son Glenn Roepke (in infancy), preceded him in death.

Don was an active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Independence, IA, and had served in various capacities for local VFW organizations; including, Commander of Bechter-Boies VFW Post #2440, of Independence, IA, and Smith-Geater VFW Post # 8884 of Vinton, IA.  He also, had served as the Veteran of Foreign Wars – Department of Iowa, State Commander in 2007 – 2008.