William (Bill) E. Hepler, 79, died April 3, 2019 at Culpeper Hospital in Virginia.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 9th, at 11:00 a.m. with the service following at 12:00 p.m. The funeral will be officiated by Rev. Jeffrey Smith at Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church located at 17447 Mallorys Ford Road, Gordonsville, followed by internment in the church cemetery.

Bill was born on April 21, 1939 in Charleston, South Carolina to J. Edwin Hepler and Hildred J. Hepler.

He grew up in Alleghany County, VA, graduating from Covington High School.

He is Navy veteran, graduate of VPI & SU, and a graduate of UVA, where he achieved a Masters Degree in Education. He also held a Masters of Divinity from Duke University.

He began his career after the military by teaching in Patrick County and later in Rockbridge County. After he received his Masters in Education, he started working at the Natural Bridge Learning Center until his retirement from the Virginia Department of Corrections.

Bill was a minister with the United Methodist Church for many years in Rockbridge County, Orange County and Louisa County.

He was proceeded in death by his wife of 54 years, Patricia S. Hepler. Bill is survived by his children, Dave Hepler and his wife, Suzanne Cable, and his daughter, Anne M. Winn and her husband, John Winn, and grandchildren, Rachael and Veronica Winn.

Bill was an active member of his community everywhere he lived, volunteering his time and effort to many churches and local organizations. He was a lifelong piano aficionado and enjoyed participating in choirs and choruses.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church or to the Orange County Humane Society. Preddy's Funeral Home of Gordonsville is handling the arrangements.