Vern Epps

Alaska lost another pioneering spirit this September. Vern Epps passed peacefully in his sleep on 9/06/2023. Vern was born on 7/27/1930 in Coquille, Oregon to Stephen and Marjorie Epps. They lived on a working farm in Coquille, then moved to Powell Butte, Oregon where Vern met the love of his life, Betty Smith, who lived across the road from his parents’ house. Vern served in the U.S. Air Force from December 1948 to June 1952. Vern and Betty were married in Prineville, Oregon on 5/24/1954. They moved to Alaska a few years later where they ran a trucking business and an Arctic Cat dealership from their shop on O'Malley Road in Anchorage. During the Alaska Pipeline construction period they both drove block trucks and gravel trucks. As the boom times died down, they decided a new adventure was needed, and moved out to Trapper Lake where they lived off the grid for over 50 years. Vern developed a trapline that he worked for many years. His vast knowledge of all the river crossings in the area made him the go to person to ask which crossings were safe to use in winter travel. He also groomed and marked snow machine trails in the area for the Mat-Su Borough. He became affectionately known as the "Mayor of Trapper Lake" to his many friends and neighbors. He ran his trapline until glaucoma took his sight. At that time, Vern and Betty moved to Wasilla to make life easier and were well cared for by the staff at Primrose Retirement Community, their personal helpers Colleen and Julie, and eventually Ancora hospice care.

Vern is survived by his wife of 69 years; Betty Epps, his sister; Kay Darlee Stringer, and two grandchildren; Jamie Epps, and Curtis John Epps.

He was preceded in death by his parents; Stephen Epps and Marjorie (Cox) Epps, his two sons; Stephen John Epps and Mark Lynn Epps, and a grandson; Phillip Epps. No service is planned at this time; however, a celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, a donation to Hospice of Alaska would be well received.