Edwin Lee Jepsen, 87, of Clinton, IA, passed away on Monday, June 1, 2026 at The Alverno, Trinity Health System, Clinton, IA. Honoring his wishes, cremation rites have been accorded with a private burial service in August. He will be buried next to his son Keith and his parents at Clinton Lawn Cemetery in Clinton, IA. Pape Funeral Home is honored to serve the family.
Edwin was born February 25, 1939, the son of John F. Jepsen and Mildred Jepsen (Hagan). He was baptized and confirmed at the Sabula Calvary Lutheran Church. He was united in marriage to Barbara J. Jepsen (Bunn) on July 25, 1959 at the Community Congregational Church in Clinton, IA. Ed and Barb were together 67 years until his passing.
Ed attended a country, one room schoolhouse for elementary and middle school. He graduated from Miles High School in 1957. Ed was on the cross-country track team and was part of the Five Man Mile Team that won the state championship in 1956. He will be inducted into the Miles (Easton Valley) Hall of Fame this September.
Ed tested for the Clinton Corn Millwright Apprenticeship program and worked as a millwright for 16 years. While raising his young family, Ed was an assistant coach for the Little League team at Chancy Park.
Along with his wife Barb, Ed operated a large dairy farm and raised cattle, hogs and poultry. His life was all about farming from a young age. The family farm, near Sabula, IA, became a Century Farm in 2007. Ed and Barb’s son, Greg, took over the farm in 1998.
Throughout Ed’s life, he enjoyed his favorite hobby of playing cards. He was in 3 card clubs and several Blackjack clubs. Ed also collected coins and practiced his specialty of tossing coins and rings at the county and state fairs. In retirement, Ed visited 16 American presidential homes with his family. Some of Ed’s happiest days, with his wife Barb, were spent on special family meals and outings with friends Kenneth and Vicky (deceased) White of Clinton, Rita and Richard (deceased) Holm of Iowa City, Jean and Uwe (deceased) Schulz of Miles, Kathy and John (deceased) Clements of Davenport and Eric and Lori Gettes of Clinton. Above all, he loved his family very much and will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his loving wife Barbara Jepsen (Bunn); his son Gregory John Jepsen and daughter-in-law Susan Michelle Jepsen of Sabula, IA and granddaughter Brigit Jepsen of Sabula, IA; his daughter, Lynn Belgen and son-in-law Namik Belgen of Sugar Land, TX and granddaughters Ginger Belgen of Lubbock, TX and granddaughter Jill Belgen of Harrogate, TN; his sister Kathleen Schrader (James, deceased) of Clinton, IA, niece Kristina Kuhse; his brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Kathy Jepsen of Sabula, IA, nieces Alexis and Robin and nephew Ian; along with many extended family members and friends. Preceding Ed in death were his parents, a son Keith and brothers-in-law, James R. Schrader, Carl Bunn and John R. Bunn.
Following a stroke in 2022, Ed was cared for at home by his wife Barb, with additional services provided by Good Samaritan Society, Sanford Health. Ed & #39’s family extends gratitude and thanks for the loving and skilled professional care he received at The Alverno, Trinity Health, for the past year and a half. Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com.