Vernon "Skip" Epperson

Vernon “Skip” Epperson, of Cayuga, Indiana, passed away unexpectedly on May 12, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was 73 years old.

Skip was born on July 29, 1952, to James and Helen Epperson in Danville, Illinois. He spent his early childhood in Danville before moving with his family to a farm in rural Warren County, Covington, Indiana. He graduated from Covington High School in 1970. Skip was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother, Larry Epperson and younger brother, Terry Epperson.

He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Lola Epperson; sons Ron (Jennifer) Epperson and Jim Strubberg; daughters Ami Epperson and Chasity (Clay) Johnson; grandchildren Trevor (Courtney) Rennick, Blake (Danielle) Epperson, Grant (Emily) Tuggle, Nate (Brittany) Epperson, Layla Strubberg, James Strubberg, Chloe Johnson, and Carter Johnson; and great‑grandchildren Klaire Rennick, Sapphire Epperson, and Peyton Tuggle. Skip was also excitedly awaiting the arrival of his first great‑grandson, Theo Skip Epperson, due in August. He is further survived by his sisters Nancy (Charles) Holycross, Fran (Don) Cumbow, and Becky (Kevin) Jones.

After high school, Skip worked briefly in electronics repair before beginning his long career at the cellophane manufacturer Olin (later Flexel) in Covington, Indiana. He was hired as a janitor, but through talent, intelligence, and determination, rose to the position of plant superintendent, a role he held for many years. Skip was a great leader, and his work ethic was unmatched. When Flexel closed in 1997, Skip played an essential role in its sale and transition to new ownership. Following his retirement from Flexel, Skip and Lola devoted their time to running the Trojan Car Wash (formerly Splish Splash Car Wash), which they had previously purchased. Nearly everyone in Covington received a free wash or extra vacuum time from Skip at some point. It was very common to drive by and see he and Lola faithfully caring for the car wash nightly, rain, shine or even freezing temperatures, until selling it in 2022.

Narrowing down the list of Skip’s talents and attributes for this obituary was no small feat. We could write a book about everything he did well. Skip possessed an extraordinary range of talents. He was strong, both mentally and physically, and a meticulous planner. His ability to successfully coordinate every detail was on full display in the numerous family vacations (at times up to 14 people) he organized to Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas—an island he loved and personally visited 33 times. Skip eventually became good friends with the owners of the property where he stayed, later returning to occasionally watch over the property while the owners were away. These family trips created cherished memories that will live in our hearts forever.

In his younger years, Skip was an avid skydiver and later a skilled, certified scuba diver. Some of his most memorable dive trips included shark diving with his son Ron at Stuart Cove’s and Walker’s Cay in the Bahamas. He would often proudly recall how they were the last of the divers to leave the water when diving amongst the sharks. He also traveled to Key West on several occasions to volunteer at the Mel Fisher Museum and dive with its team on the Spanish shipwreck Atocha. He even completed a training dive in Florida with the Indiana State Police dive team. Skip and Lola also shared many adventures together. Highlights include trips to Mexico and to Egypt to see and experience the Egyptian pyramids.

Some of Skip’s hobbies included HAM Radio (W9KXD) and building and repairing and restoring tube radios. Skip would often share interesting conversations he had with other HAM radio enthusiasts from all over the world. He even built and installed his own HAM radio tower at his home. Skip was a critical thinker, a lifelong learner, an educator and incredibly wise and thoughtful. He was an honest man of the utmost integrity. Skip was also an avid reader who enjoyed classical music. He was exceptionally intelligent—there was truly no problem he couldn’t diagnose and repair.

He was also a man of great kindness. Skip cared for people and animals alike and was known to rescue and look after neighborhood cats who loved him. He was charismatic, witty, clever and always the center of attention at family dinners and gatherings, where he entertained everyone with his storytelling, great sense of humor, and easy smile.

Most importantly, Skip was a man of faith who lived his beliefs daily. He attended Waterman Baptist Church in Cayuga with his wife, Lola.

While we desperately wish we had more time with him, we are forever grateful for the example he set—one of integrity, wisdom, kindness, generosity, and love. He was the heart of our family, our steady leader, and our greatest source of guidance. We could not have asked for a more loving husband, father and grandfather. He was always there for all of us whenever we needed him. He was truly a great man. He is so very deeply loved and will be missed beyond measure.

A Celebration of Skip’s Life will be held on Wednesday May 20, 2026 at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Centers Covington Chapel 11-3 est. with a service to follow at the funeral home at 3 est. Burial will follow at Gopher Hill Cemetery. Please join Skip’s family in sharing pictures, videos and memories on his tribute page at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com