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Richard Kepner
Richard Kepner died in his home on Jan. 28, 2001, at the age of 84.
He joined the UC Davis Chemistry faculty in 1946 after earning degrees from Berkeley and UCLA.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly; daughter, Elizabeth; son, Douglas; brother, Robert; and sister, Katherine.
At his request, there will be no funeral service.
KEPNER
Robert Allan "Bob" Kepner (1st of 2 obituaries)
Robert Allan "Bob" Kepner, a UC Davis professor emeritus, died at his Davis home Dec. 19, 2003, of complications from a stroke. He was 88.
Born May 18, 1915, in Los Angeles, he attended Riverside Junior College (1932-34), UC Berkeley (1934-36) and UCD (1936-37). He graduated from Cal with honors in mechanical engineering, with an agricultural engineering option.
From 1937 to 1942, Kepner worked as an associate in the UCD Agricultural Experiment Station, compiling and analyzing research on the use of heaters for frost protection in orchards.
During the winter of the 1938-39 school year, his sister, Kay, introduced him to her college roommate, Denzil (Dennie) McBride. The couple marriage in 1941.
Early in 1942 Kepner was invited to join a team of engineers at Stewart-Warner Corporation developing heaters for military aircraft. He started as a test engineer but later he rose to head the aircraft heaters engineering group.
In 1947 Prof. H.B. Walker, chair of agricultural engineering at UCD, invited Kepner to return to campus. His contributions included the development of a continuous-flow spray-type seed treater, especially suitable for treating sugar beets, sold commercially for many years. He also developed non-selective mechanical harvesters for green and white asparagus, and, with others, methods for the combine harvesting of small-seed legumes and barley.
He studied the performance and effects of various types of hay-harvesting equipment, analyzing the cutting action of the mower. He developed a mechanical gopher-bait applicator for open fields that was sold commercially.
His research also included methods for: incorporating rice straw into the soil as an alternative to burning, harvesting, storing and handling cotton, and harvesting of fresh-market onions.
He served on an advisory committee for developing a forest engineering option at Cal.
In 1955 he authored Principles of Farm Machinery, which became a basic textbook around the world and was translated into several languages. Later editions were published in 1972 and 1978. During his 39-year career at UCD, he authored or co-authored more than 65 publications.
He principally taught courses in farm machinery for both engineering and non-engineering students, as well as a course in tractors for non-engineering students.
In 1979 he served as acting associate dean for undergraduate studies in the College of Engineering.
During eight years of planning and constructing Bainer Hall, he chaired the building committee and was influential in the structure's final design. In 1995 a seminar room in the building was named for him, in recognition of "outstanding scholarly achievement and stature as a distinguished authority in the field of agricultural engineering."
After retiring, in 1981, he continued to be involved with the design of specialized field machinery, including a vacuum harvester for cuphea plant seeds and a plot planter for alfalfa seed.
He was a life fellow of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, and received that organization's Outstanding Paper Award in 1950. He was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi and the American Association of Engineering Societies. He received the Instructor of the Year award in 1980-81 from the UCD ASAE branch. He is listed in Who's Who in America, International Who's Who in Engineering, Who's Who in the West and Who's Who in Science and Engineering.
During his retirement years he enjoyed contributing his time to International House, from which he received the Volunteer of the Year Award in 1993 and which planted a tree in honor of his dedication in 1999; the Short Term Emergency Aid Committee, which recognized his long service with a plaque in 1995; and AARP, from which he received an award for "outstanding service to the community" in 1999.
His hobbies included photography, gardening, traveling and, above all, designing and building whatever he needed to suit a given situation.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Dennie, two sons, Gilbert and Ronald, and his brother, Richard, who was also a longtime UCD professor.
He is survived by his daughter, Dorothy Kepner of Davis, sister, Kay Tesarik of Alhambra, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Jan. 10 at Woodland Presbyterian Church, located at 1324 Columbia Drive in Woodland.
The family asks memorial contributions be made to the UC Davis Foundation's Robert A. and Denzil M. Kepner Endowment Fund, which will create scholarships for the College of Engineering. Contributions may be sent to: UCD Foundation Office, 1480 Drew Ave., Davis CA 95616.
Robert A. Kepner (2nd of 2 obituaries)
Robert Allan "Bob" Kepner, a UC Davis professor emeritus, died at his Davis home Dec. 19, 2003, of complications from a stroke. He was 88.
Born May 18, 1915, in Los Angeles, he attended Riverside Junior College (1932-34), UC Berkeley (1934-36) and UCD (1936-37). He graduated from Cal with honors in mechanical engineering, with an agricultural engineering option.
He had a long and distinguished career with UC Davis.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Dennie; two sons, Gilbert and Ronald; and his brother, Richard, who was also a longtime UCD professor.
He is survived by his daughter, Dorothy Kepner of Davis; a son, Harold Kepner of Paris; a sister, Kay Tesarik of Alhambra; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Woodland Presbyterian Church, 1324 Columbia Drive in Woodland.
The family asks that memorial contributions be made to the UC Davis Foundation's Robert A. and Denzil M. Kepner Endowment Fund, which will create scholarships for the College of Engineering. Contributions may be sent to UCD Foundation Office, 1480 Drew Ave., Davis CA 95616.
KERR
David Houston Kerr, Jr.
David Houston Kerr Jr. of Todd Valley, a decorated veteran and longtime employee of Hunt-Wesson Foods in Davis, died with family at his side on Oct. 26, 2003, at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital. He was 72.
Born in Houston Nov. 30, 1930, he was the only child of Lula Simosin Kerr and David Houston Kerr. He grew up and attended schools in Minneapolis.
He served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force before retiring as a first sergeant in the U.S. Army. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service in Vietnam.
After leaving the military, he worked as an instrument technician for Hunt-Wesson for about 19 years before retiring in 1992.
His interests included building and flying radio-controlled scale model aircraft. His love of automobiles led to his becoming a docent at the Towe Auto Museum in Sacramento. He was also an enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer for the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society's annual Jazz Jubilee, as well as a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Emily Briggs Kerr, in 2001.
He is survived by his second wife, Peggy Wilcox Kerr of Todd Valley; daughter Barbara Ann Cannizzaro and her husband Stephen of Foresthill; grandsons Matthew Cannizzaro of Ukiah and Andrew Cannizzaro and his wife Gina of Perry, Ga.; stepdaughters Linda Wilcox of Sacramento and Susan Wilcox and her husband Paul Furnas of Davis; and step-grandchildren, Jonathan Pasquale, Sarah Wilcox, Jeremy and Ariel Jensen and Colin Page.
A memorial services will begin at 2 p.m. Monday at Calvary Bible Church, 20801 Todd Valley Road, in Todd Valley.
The family asks that memorials be sent to the Kidney Foundation of California, which can be reached at (714) 761-1154.
KERR
Leroy Homer Kerr
Leroy Homer Kerr died Monday, March 4, 2002, at age 79.
Born Oct. 20, 1922, Mr. Kerr had been a resident of Woodland all of his life. He was a heavy equipment operator. He marriage on Oct. 16, 1949. He served in the Army during World War II, serving in Africa, Sicily and Italy. He received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and the Infantry Badge of which he was very proud. He was a 50 year member of the Masons.
Mr. Kerr is survived by his wife of 52 years, Donna Jean (Galligan) Kerr; and sons, Gary and Charles Kerr, all of Woodland.
Respecting the wishes of Mr. Kerr no services are scheduled.
North Sacramento Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
KERSHNER
Hubert Vandon "Van" Kershner
Hubert "Van" Vandon Kershner died in Woodland Monday, Nov. 21, 2005 at age 76.
Mr. Kershner was born in Spice, W.Va. May 5, 1929 to Lon H. and Margaret (McCoy) Kershner. He joined the U.S. Navy after high school and served during the Korean War, receiving the good conduct medal among other awards. Later, he joined the U.S. Post Office and was a letter carrier for 15 years.
Survivors include Mr. Kershner's daughters, Debra Mello and her husband Marty of Woodland; his sons, Donald Kershner of Hartford, Ky. and John Kershner and his wife Dawn of Woodland; his grandchildren, Vandon Kershner, Joshua and Amy Mello, Nicholas, Alexander, Skylar, Ashton, Brooklyn and Chloe Kershner; his former wife, Nancy Baldwin of Woodland; and his sisters, Jane Duncan, Janice McCoy and Kay Berverage, all of West Virginia.
The family requests memorials in Mr. Kershner's name be directed to American Heart Association, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Burlingame, 94010; or the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, Ohio 45250.
Services: A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2 at Kraft Bros. Chapel, 175 Second St., Woodland. Military honors will be presented at that time. Kraft Bros. Funeral Directors is assisting the family with arrangements.
