Obituary of William J. Knepper

William J. "Bill" Knepper, 92, of Pine Grove Mills, died Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at Foxdale Village, State College. Born March 31, 1923, in Chambersburg, he was the son of the late William Luther and Elizabeth Gipe Knepper. On March 28, 1948 he married Jean L. Herman, who preceded him in death on January 2, 2014. He is survived by two children, Curtis W. Knepper and his wife, Louise, of Buffalo Run, Bellefonte and Kimberly A. Dile and her husband, Jack, of Hummelstown; five grandchildren, Paula L. Knepper and her husband, Chris McLean, of Los Alamos, NM, Leah A. Knepper and her husband, Eric Peyer, of Chicago, IL, Sara C. Tumlin and her husband, Major Michael Tumlin, of Ft. Bragg, NC, Eli Dile, of Washington, DC and Emilie Dile, of Astoria, NY; five great-grandchildren, Ian and Cullen McLean, Linus Peyer and Kendal and Brooks Tumlin. Bill was a graduate of Chambersburg High School. He was a Navy veteran of WWII, serving in the Pacific. He owned and operated Knepper Masonry Contractor for 27 years. Bill was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pine Grove Mills. He was also a 50 year member of the State College Lodge No. 700 F. & A. M., and a 50 year member of the Valley of Altoona Scottish Rite. Bill was a member of the Altoona Jaffa Shrine and the State College Shrine Club, he was the past Grand Tall Cedar of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, a member of the United Commercial Travelers No. 729, the Ben Adhem Guild of Pennsylvania and Virginia and a life member and Past Commander of the VFW Post 5825 in Pine Grove Mills. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m., on Saturday, February 6, 2016, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 277 W. Pine Grove Road, Pine Grove Mills, with the Reverend Paul Tomkiel officiating. Burial will be in Pine Grove Mills Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 277 W. Pine Grove Road, Pine Grove Mills, PA 16868. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com or visit us on Facebook.