Wallace D. "Rick" Hepler, Jr.

             Wallace D. “Rick” Hepler, Jr., 70, of Riverside Drive, Oil City, died late Monday night, April 23, 2018 at Oil City Healthcare. 

          He was born in Oil City on August 11, 1947 to the late Wallace D. Hepler, Sr. and Dora F. (Tock) Hepler. 

          He was a 1966 graduate of Oil City High School.  He then served in the U.S. Army from 1967 through 1970, stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War. 

          He was active with the Masonic Lodge and the Grotto, as well as with the Allegheny Jeep Club. 

          Mr. Hepler was an active member of Grace United Methodist Church in Oil City, where he served on the administrative council, trustees, ushering, and the youth group. 

          Rick was active with Pack 111 scouting and served as a scout leader. 

          He enjoyed leather working, camping, boating; and collecting cars and eagles; but the most important thing to him was spending time with his family. 

          Rick worked from an early age for the former Minich's Mobile Homes, now Minich's Towing and Recovery where he and his wife were the owners and operators for many years.  He continued to work for the business until his health declined. 

          He was married in Grace United Methodist Church on August 6, 1966 to the former Betty Jo Minich, and she preceded him in death on November 24, 2014. 

          Surviving are two sons:  Jody Hepler and his wife Beth of Painesville, Ohio; and Chris Hepler and his wife Kerry of Oil City; four grandchildren:  Tyler and Kayla Hepler of Painesville, Ohio, and Jerica and Taylor Hepler of Oil City; a sister, DeAnna Mahle and her husband John of Oil City; two brothers, Dennis Hepler and his wife Dottie of Alvin, Texas, and Jim Hepler and his wife Carrie of Seneca.

          Also surviving are his nieces and nephews:  Shelly Notorianni, Marc Hepler, Jamie Parrish, Jason Mahle, Julie Johnson, Nicole Snyder, Nicholas Hepler, and Ashley Hepler; several great-nieces, great-nephew, and cousins; close family friends, Ed and Pat Russo of Fort Myers, Florida; and his special friend, Judy Bloom of Seneca. 

          In addition to his parents and his wife, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Charles and Orpha Minich. 

          Friends will be received Friday (April 27) from 4 - 8 p.m. in the Hile-Best Funeral Home, 2781 Rte. 257 in Seneca, Cranberry Township.  A funeral service will be held Saturday (April 28) at 11 a.m. in Grace United Methodist Church, 100 Central Ave. in Oil City with the Rev. Byron Myers, church pastor, officiating.  There will be no viewing at the church.  Private interment will follow in Heckathorn Cemetery in Seneca, where full military honors will be accorded by the V.E.T.S. Honor Guard. 

          Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478
Oklahoma City, OK 73123; or to Grace United Methodist Church, 100 Central Ave., Oil City, PA 16301.

          To express condolences to the Hepler family online, visit www.hilebest.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Wallace D. "Rick" Hepler, Jr., please visit our floral store.