James Pepper

James Bennett Pepper February 14, 1941 – September 17, 2020 The world has lost a kind and gentle man. Son of Dr. James and Katheryn Pepper, a Rawlings, Wyoming first family with literally a true pioneering spirit and history. His father, Dr. James Pepper was a dentist who married his high school sweetheart, Winifred Kathryn Bennett. Jimmy (thanks mom) was a very busy kid (i.e. precocious)- From adventuring from his home to his grandmother’s home miles away in the dead of winter at the mere age of three, to driving a at age 7, to working his family sheep ranch as a young man on horseback and sheep wagon at the mature age of 10. Jimmy was a true cowboy and outdoorsman, but with a flare- he was one of the Country’s youngest members of the National Ski patrol at age 14 (Snowy Range Ski Area, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort). During the summer “break”, he worked in the kitchen as a prep chef at the Jackson lake lodge; this venue offered him the opportunity to pursue another passion~ mountain climbing. As a young man, he climbed the Tetons, the Flat Irons and other faces of the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana. “Jimmy” was very close with his Grandma Nanny (Kathryn Roberts Bennett), who instilled him with a love of Wyoming and his family pioneering history & adventuring spirit. Jim graduated Rawlins high school in 1959, sheepherding before and after school but also during the summertime months (sheep camp). Afterwards, he began his collegiate education at the University of Iowa (like his father in dental school) but then transferred to Morningside College (Sioux City) to pursue a degree in Agribusiness, where he also met his future bride, Judith Ann Jones, a music major. They married June 1962, and welcomed their daughter into the world, Bene’t Pepper June 1963. Jim worked at the Sioux City Stockyards as a cattle buyer and Commodities trader, and soon thereafter founded a livestock truckling company: Livestock Express, running upwards of 25 trucks. One of his most memorable entrepreneurial recollections was receiving a phone call at 3 am to let him know that one of his driver’s brakes had failed, causing the Semi truck to plow straight thru a designated national monument: a Church nonetheless… Thankfully nobody was hurt, and the next fun call was to the Insurance Carrier… Jim’s love of horses was passed on to his daughter Bene’t, and much of the families free time was spent travelling to “Little Britches Rodeos” where Benet competed in various rodeo events while Jim helped as pickup rider, judge, bull riding gate puller, etc. Jim sat on the National Board of the Rodeo and the Girls event’s committee, supported the Natl Saddlebred Association, and was a member of the Natl Cattlemen’s Association, and member of the Sioux City Masonic Temple. The family relocated to Arizona in 1983 where Jim pursued a career in Real Estate and later his accounting/bookkeeping and Tax Preparation Services, which of course fit Jim’s meticulous and detailed personality very well. He enjoyed golfing with his friends and family, but especially with his father. In 1999 he and Judy relocated from Scottsdale to a retirement community Surprise where he met many new friends and neighbors, and was actively involved with the community Woodshop Club, creating many woodworking projects for his home, but also friends and family. He served as past Treasurer of the Club for many years and often talked about his woodshop buddies and cherished their friendship and comradery. In 2002, Jim (finally) became a grandfather to Aiden O’Connor. As sure-fast buddies (thick as thieves)- the sun rose and set with Aiden, and some would say Aiden was “spoiled”, but Jim of course did not think so! Family vacations, woodworking projects, golf, and providing anything/everything that boy “needed” ~ he got, including the “ultra-quiet” drum set that quickly took over the family room! Jim rarely missed one of Aiden’s soccer, baseball, or football games, and took to videotaping almost all the games so that Aiden’s dad/coach could have “game tape” to review and use! NFL Films was on the radar... James will be missed by many, including family, friends ~ really anybody that got to know this kind, gentle and honorable man. He is survived by his daughter Benet (Pepper) O'Connor, his son-in-law Michael O'Connor, grandson Aiden O'Connor, Cousin Cecil Alice Johnstone, niece Kaycee Carpenter-Wiita and nephew Cotton Carpenter. Funeral services will be held at Menke Funeral Home, Sun City AZ- Monday September 28, viewing at 12pm, services at 1pm. Interment will immediately follow, at Sunland Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Tunnels to Towers Foundation 718-987-1931 (donor support Team). We love you Daddy/Grandpa/Jim- you will always be in our hearts, forever