John Thomas "Tom" Zepper

Dr. John Thomas Zepper passed away September 25, 2011, at the age of 82. Tom was born on May 10, 1929, to the late John Carl and Beatrice May (Armstrong) Zepper.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Marguerite Pauline Crimbring. Tom is survived by his wife, Jeanette Kiracofe Zepper; his son, John and wife, Brenda; his daughter, Joy Jones and husband, Greg; his stepdaughter, Emily Redetzki and husband, Burt; his grandchildren, Ethan, Emma, and Elizabeth Zepper; Zachary and Fiona Jones; and Tyler and Mallory Redetzki; and his brother-in-law, William Crimbring and wife, Mary Lou.

Tom graduated from Camden High School in 1947, and Rowan University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. He served in the Army from 1951 to 1954, graduating from Army Language School in Monterey, California in October 1952, where he learned Russian. After his Army service, Tom attended Ohio University, graduating with a Masters in Education in 1955. He continued his studies at Missouri University, earning his PhD in Philosophy of Education in 1960.

Dr. Zepper was a professor in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico for 30 years. He used his knowledge of Russian to study the Russian school systems, contrasting and comparing them to American and British school systems. He published an annotated bibliography on the Russian and Soviet education system in 1992.

Tom spent the last 13 years, residing in Albuquerque, NM and Cleveland, Ohio, and traveling with his wife, Jeanette, until suffering a debilitating stroke in February, 2009.

Services will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 1:30 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church, 215 Locust NE, Albuquerque, NM. Private interment at Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, NM.

In lieu of flowers, donation may be made in Dr. Zepper's name to the UNM College of Education Travelstead Endowed Faculty Fellowship for Teacher Education Fund. The fund focuses on improving teacher preparation and distinguished scholarly achievement. Please make checks out to the UNM Foundation, Two Woodward Center, 700 Lomas NE, Suite 108, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

Local arrangements are entrusted to McFarland & Son Funeral Services Co., 271 N. Park Ave., Warren, Ohio 44481. Please visit www.mcfarlandcares.com to view this obituary and send condolences.