S1 E17 Brother Tim Epperson

Tim Epperson was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. His parents, Ben and Evelyn migrated here in the 50s from Springfield MS. He is the second of five siblings. Growing up in the area he attended 5 different grade schools until 1962 when the family moved to west Wichita, and lived on Bebe St. While on Bebe, his family was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the summer of 1966. He and all his family joined in the fall, and his life was forever changed, for the better. He attended Hadley Junior High, and North High until his senior year. Some of his passions growing up were outdoor exploring, art and design, and church activities.

Ben became associated with Pizza Hut at that time, and in the summer of 69 moved his family to upstate New York, to open a franchise in the area. Tim finished high school there in 1970.

This was the Vietnam conflict era. After high school, Tim managed a Pizza Hut, took several cross country trips with church friends, and contemplated further education. In 1972 he was drafted and joined the USAF. He was stationed at Little Rock AFB with SAC after basic training. In the two years there he was assigned to the missile wing and earned an AF Commendation Medal for helping with an incident at a missile silo. He was then assigned to Ramstein AFB, Germany in 1974. He spent the next 2 years in Germany, and had the opportunity to travel much of Europe.

He spent another year after getting out of the Air Force living in a village outside the base. In  1977 he relocated to Panama City, FL, and while there continued his education and earned a degree in Advertising and Commercial Art. He moved back to Wichita in 1978, shortly after attending a wedding of his sister Sheryl.

In 1978, after several years of inactivity in the Church, he returned, and has been active since.

In 1979 he met Pennie O’Neal at a stake conference and they started dating soon after. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, in August of 1981. Blessed with 3 children over a span of 10 years he found himself engaged in their lives, while being active in many callings in the Church. Most of his adult Church activity has been spent in youth related calling, from Scoutmaster several times, counselor in various bishoprics, stake callings with youth, primary and Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, as well as many other service callings. He was involved and registered with the local BSA council for 37 years.

During this time Tim had a 37 year career in Advertising Design at The Wichita Eagle, while continuing his education at WSU and many work related management courses.

He continues to work at service in the Church with a current calling, with his wife, as the Stake Communications Directors. This gives him an opportunity to work and associate with local governments, and multi-denominational religions, and service related organizations.

Tim is a part of the Wichita community and finds many ways to serve, including playing the part of The Jolly Old Elf at Christmas time for the city.

He still pursues the outdoors, camping and hiking with some of his 12 grandchildren. He gets the opportunity to testify of Jesus Christ as he engages them in outdoor pursuits.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hi friends, welcome to the Wichita, KS State Podcast.
I'm your host, Paul Kitchen, a state history specialist.
This podcast is intended to helpbring followers of Christ closer
to him. And to promote.
Unity within the Body of Christ By listening to our state
leaders share their personal stories of faith, by reflecting
on faith promoting experiences, we can strengthen our individual
faith in Jesus Christ together. Welcome to our next episode.

(00:24):
I'm here with Tim Epperson, bornand raised in Wichita, KS.
His parents, Ben and Evelyn migrated here in the 50s from
Springfield, MO. He is the second of five
siblings. Growing up in the area, he
attended 5 different grade schools until 1962 when the
family moved to West Wichita andlived on Beebe St.

(00:47):
While on Beebe, his family was introduced to the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the summer of 1966.
He and all his family joined in the fall and his life was
forever changed for the better. He attended Hadley Junior High
and North High until his senior year.
Some of his passions growing up were outdoor exploring, art and

(01:09):
design, and church activities. Ben became associated with Pizza
Hut at the at that time and in the summer of 69 moved his
family to upstate New York to open a franchise in the area.
Tim finished high school there in 1970.
This was the Vietnam conflict thereof.
After high school, Tim managed aPizza Hut, took several cross

(01:31):
country trips with church friends, and contemplated
further education. In 1972 he was drafted and
joined the United States Air Force.
He was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base with sack after
basic training. In the two years there, he was
assigned to the Missile Wing andearned an Air Force Commendation
Medal for helping with an incident and a missile silo.

(01:54):
He was then assigned to Rammstein Air Force Base,
Germany in 1974. He spent the next two years in
Germany and had the opportunity to travel much of Europe.
He spent another year after getting out of the Air Force
living in a village outside the base.
In 1977 he relocated Panama City, FL and while there

(02:16):
continued his education and earned a degree in advertising
and Commercial art. He moved back to Wichita in 1978
shortly after attending a wedding of his sister Cheryl.
In 1978, after several years of inactivity the church he
returned and has been active since.
In 1979 he met Penny O'Neill at a state conference and they

(02:38):
started dating soon after they were sealed in the Salt Lake
Temple in August of 1981. Blessed with three children over
a span of 10 years, he found himself engaged in their lives
while being active in many colleagues to the church.
Most of his adult church activity has been spent in youth
related callings from Scout Master, several times Counselor,

(03:00):
various Bishop Ricks, state callings with youth, Primary and
Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts as well as many other service
callings. He was involved and registered
with the local BSA Council for 37 years.
During this time Tim had a 37 year career in advertising
design at The Wichita Eagle while continuing his education

(03:20):
at Wichita State and many work related management courses.
He continues to work at service in the church with a current
calling with his wife as the state Communications directors.
This gives him an opportunity towork and associate with local
governments and multi denominational religions and
service related organizations. Tim is a part of the Wichita

(03:41):
community and finds many ways toserve including playing the part
of the jolly old Elf Christmas time for the city.
He still pursues the outdoors, camping and hiking with some of
his 12 grandchildren. He gets the opportunity to
testify of Jesus Christ as he engages them in outdoor
pursuits. We're excited to be here with

(04:02):
you, Tim. Good to have you we've.
Got a short history together ourselves.
We do. That's the youth and the Boy
Scouts of. I was just looking at some
pictures today of you and I together.
So let's let's start with going back to your childhood.
And how is the world today different from what it was like

(04:25):
when you were a child? It's It was so much more simple
when I was a child. I don't see that simplicity
anymore. I had a lot of freedom as a
child to be able to pursue outdoor activities without any

(04:47):
kind of parental involvement. I was able to my brother and I
would venture to the Big Ditch area and explore that whole area
by ourselves. I mean, we were 10 and, you
know, 11 years old and lot of the things that we did as

(05:08):
siblings together was just, you know, get on the bus, go
downtown, go swimming and just things that were a lot easier to
do. It was a, it was a wonderful
childhood. Now I don't see that kind of
freedom in the world. Now.

(05:30):
There's a lot of protective issues that parents have with
their children and, and rightfully so.
It's a different, it's a different world now.
So it's, it's a lot more carded.I, I had the same with my own
children. So I could see the difference

(05:50):
and, and I'm just grateful for the time that I was able to grow
up in Yeah. So what role has missionary
service or mystery ministering efforts played in your life?
Well, in 1966, that's when you know, key missionary service for

(06:12):
our family happened. I have stayed in touch with the
elder of Ellen, Ellen Stencil, the baptized man, and a lot of
the members of my family in 1966, and over the years I have

(06:33):
learned from him the story of how he came to find us, and that
was by the power of the Holy Ghost.
They had been up and down our street and had decided to do
what I mean just knocking on doors and nobody at either at

(06:56):
home or didn't want to have any anything to do with them.
So they said said a prayer and they decided to go down our
street one more time. So they knocked on the door of
the lady next door to us and asked her about the church and

(07:18):
she was interested and she said no, but I think the family next
door needs you. And because of that simple act,
they came and knocked on our door.
My dad just happened to be home on vacation, answered the door

(07:44):
and listened to them. And after he listened to them he
said I want you to come back. And it's because of this it
says, I know several members of the church and they have never
forced their religion upon me. So I want to hear what you had

(08:05):
to say. And invited them back that
evening. And over the course of three
months, we took the discussions,came to church and got an
integrated with it, with the Wichita First award at that time
and got baptized in September and October of 1966.

(08:32):
So that, and he has told me of his, his own conversion and why
he was a missionary and all those things, you know, or not
just coincidence. There's a reason why they were
on that street and ever since, Imean, I didn't serve a mission

(08:58):
myself, but I have been, especially Penny and I have
always been able to have the missionaries in our home, to
listen to them and to be involved in missionary service.
I was a ward mission leader for three years and some of the best

(09:21):
service I ever, ever had. I'm still in touch with all
those missionaries that I was serving was, you know, as a
world mission leader. We're still in contact with them
as well as well with a lot of the missionaries that have
served here in this area. So missionary service is an
important aspect in my life and we're hoping at some time to

(09:48):
give back in a missionary service for civils.
Wonderful though. Precious to be able to to learn
about the the way that God worksin other people's lives to touch
us to. Do is.

(10:09):
We're certainly appreciate it. So let's let's talk a little bit
about your professional life. What influenced you to take the
professional course that you did?
Well, I've always been interested in art and design

(10:30):
from a, from an early age, I, I used to, I had a portfolio
binder of car designs, robot designs that I did when I was,
well, that would have been in the 60s, early 60s and entered

(10:55):
design competitions nationwide, especially a car competition
design cars. So I've always had that, that
love that desire to, to have artand design in my life.
I was able to have a few teachers that influenced me over

(11:17):
my over my life, especially Ted Lamb at North High.
He was a great art teacher thereand who really helped to ignite
that, that flame, that desire to, to design and to be

(11:43):
creative. And while I was while I was in
the Air Force, I, I took design courses, but after I got out,
decided to pursue that educationfrom in Panama City commercial
on our design. And when I came back to Wichita,

(12:05):
I started working for a printingfirm, which I was able to put
some of those practices to use and not only printing, but I
designed different business cards and and publications while
I was there. And it wasn't long after that
that I joined The Wichita Eagle and just rose to the ranks in 37

(12:32):
years from simple graphic designer to copywriting to TV
design to billboards. Everything I did, I was I had
the opportunity to do everythingthat I wanted to do while I was
at The Wichita Eagle. It was a it was a wonderful
experience and a wonderful career.

(12:57):
I just thoroughly enjoyed it. It's great.
Less be able to have the opportunity to pursue pursue
your interests and to be able touse that that creativity that
our our divine DNA gives us. Use that in your career.

(13:21):
And that's that's a integral part of my pediatrical blessing
where it says and there are two use those creative talents.
So while I'm as a member of the church, and I have, I've had
that opportunity over the years to be able to help with the

(13:46):
publications and designs of previous church related
activities. I remember a few programs
advertising posters for activities.
I remember a couple of Boy Scoutpatches.
They had an opportunity to design, you know, multiple

(14:06):
patches while I was with the council and it was, it was a lot
of fun, a lot of fun, very rewarding.
Well, and. Opportunity to bless so many of
us, all you know with your giftsand talents.
So, thinking skills, sure. Phil.
Phil. What are some things that you're

(14:28):
most grateful for? When they when they saw this
question, I had to ponder. Of course I'm grateful for being
a member of the church and for the opportunity to help and be

(14:48):
of service to people, to bless lives and to influence.
Probably I'm most grateful otherthan my own family for being

(15:10):
able to associate with the youthof the church over the years
through scouting and just youth organizations to be able to
mentor youths and and see that they have the opportunity to not
only serve, but less of the people's lives too.

(15:33):
They, we need to be a better example, example to those youth
that we come in contact with. We talk about the rising
generation and that's the only way they'll rise is if we, you
know, strengthen them and, and, and lift them up.

(15:55):
Recognize who they really are. Help them recognize who they
really are. The real potential because in
this in the society, the way it is right now, it's easy to look
upon yourselves as I'm not worththat.
I really can't do anything. I don't have an influence on

(16:17):
people and they do. I've seen it through our
children and I've seen it through multiples.
I'm grateful to to know your children and have been
associated with them over the years.

(16:40):
Well, our family definitely has been blessed also for our
relationship Scout King up in seminary, youth conferences and
even just the the simple you know, when we were in the same
ward saying LOL right you knowing their names and talking
with them about their interest. That's I know that you do that

(17:01):
for for lots of loss of the riseof generation, not just my kids.
They're great kids, you know, and it's a, it's a shame if
people don't get to know, you know, who the youth are and
their ward. Yeah.
And that's a, it's something that I see a lot of people not

(17:23):
taking the time to find out who they are.
And you're worthy so well, I've.Really enjoyed our visit.
Will you? End our visit with your your
testimony of Jesus Christ and his restored church and.
Absolutely I am. I'm so grateful for Jesus

(17:57):
Christ. He's rescued me multiple times,
not only through his influence with the power of the Holy
Ghost, saved my life on multipleoccasions.

(18:23):
I know he lives. I'm grateful for the opportunity
to return to my Father. I'm grateful for the restoration
of the gospel of Jesus Christ onthis earth, for the Prophet
Joseph Smith, for the Book of Mormon, from the truths that it

(18:45):
has, if we just but read it and ponder it and try to understand.
I'm grateful for the prophet that we have on this service,
grateful for his influence and for his life, his dedication.
I'm grateful for my parents thatthey were willing to listen and

(19:16):
be obedient to the Spirit to bring us into the full of the
church. I love my Savior.
He is my brother, the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen. Amen.

(19:38):
I hope that this episode of the Wichita KS Stick Podcast helped
bring you closer to Christ. I invite you to take some time
today to write about or record one of your own faith promoting
experiences.