Merle J. Peper, major, U.S. Air Force, retired, 71, a native of Blackduck, Minn., and a resident of Summerdale, died Sunday, June 12, 2011.
He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a major after 20 years of service. He was a Vietnam veteran, played a supportive role in the Missile Launch Programs, was stationed in Europe and South East Asia.
In later years he was a college professor and then Dean of the College of Business at the University of West Alabama. He was a Scout Master for 25 years with the Boy Scouts of America and received the Silver Beaver Award.
He was awarded the Methodist Cross and was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Glenna F. Peper of Summerdale; two daughters, Amy (Jeremy) King of Robertsdale and Jennifer (Ryan) McCann of Cedarville, Ark.; three sons, Scott Peper of New York, Steven (Stacy) Peper of Davenport, Iowa, and Kurt Peper of Birmingham; two sisters, Irene Peper of Kaneohe, Hawaii, and Erma Cunningham, Great Falls, Mont.; and seven grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 16 at the Robertsdale United Methodist Church with the Rev. Steve Spining officiating. Graveside services with military honors will be at 11:45 a.m. at the Barrancas National Cemetery, NAS, Pensacola, Fla.
The family requests memorial donations be made to Livingston United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 36, Livingston, AL 35470, or the American Cancer Society, 19059 S. Greeno Road, Fairhope, AL 36532.
Arrangements are by Mack Funeral Home Crematory, Robertsdale.
