Leroy John Epling

MOVILLE, Iowa -- Leroy John Epling, 94, of Moville died Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Moville United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Arlington Township Cemetery, Moville. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday prior to the services at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of McCulloch Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
Leroy Epling was born Jan. 20, 1917, to Laura Dockweiler and Louie Epling in the farmhouse on the Epling Homestead in Moville Township, Woodbury County, Iowa. He attended country schools in Moville Township and later graduated from Moville High School in 1934. He attended Iowa State College in 1935-1936, where he joined the Farm House Fraternity. While at college he met Betty Jeanne Spry from Sergeant Bluff and they were married Dec. 10, 1938, and their son Larry was born in 1940. Leroy and Betty farmed in Moville Township until they retired in 1991 and moved into Moville. Betty died Oct. 27, 2007.
Leroy's training in the Woodbury County 4-H clubs and later studies at Iowa State College gave him an interest in improved farm production methods. He started a herd of Angus beef cattle in the late 1920s and sold breeding stock to many area herds. This herd has been continued by his family to this day. He developed a crop rotation system, built some of the early terraces in the county and used contour tillage to improve soil conservation, and raised and sold hybrid seed corn and forage legumes for improved yields.
Leroy was involved in many community groups, as a member and president for several years of the Woodbury County REC, the Woodbury County 4-H Club committee, Woodbury County Cattlemen, Farm Bureau, American Angus Association and other community activities. He was a member of the Federated Church and later was a board member of the Methodist Church in 1962 when the new church building was built.
After retirement Leroy and Betty enjoyed traveling, gardening, fishing and continued involvement with the Moville United Methodist Church.
Leroy's surviving family members include his son, Larry and Betty Epling of Moville; grandson Brian and Shawntell Epling and grandson Robert, all of Moville; and two great-grandsons, Curtis and Seth, both of Moville.
Family members who preceded him in death include his wife, Betty; a brother, Mervin; his parents, Louie and Laura Epling; paternal grandparents, Fred and Sophie Harmes Epling; and maternal grandparents, John and Lena Jensen Dockweiler.