Louis William Gephart – Elizabeth Township
Louis William Gephart, dedicated husband, loving father and grandfather, brother, friend and resident of Elizabeth Township, passed away on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, surrounded by his beloved wife and daughters at Arden Courts of Jefferson Hills. Louis W. Gephart was born to Louis T. and Anna Grimes Gephart in Elizabeth on Dec. 2, 1938. He graduated from Elizabeth Forward High School in 1958 and was a veteran of the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky Battery C321st Artillery. Lou married Saundra Lee Homer on Nov. 10, 1962, and they spent 60 beautiful years together. Through those years they had three daughters who cherished their loving father. He was a member of the Elizabeth Township Sportsmen Association and American Legion Post 0553. He worked at Elizabeth Motors, Edgar Motors, Fisher Body and Volkswagen while living in Pennsylvania. in 1991, Lou and Sandy moved to St. Louis, Mo., where Louis began working for BASF as a paint supervisor, still making frequent trips back to Pennsylvania to be with family. He made the best of friends and memories wherever he went. Lou’s true joys were tinkering in the garage, fishing, hunting, camping, playing golf, fixing cars, playing cards, horseshoes, dancing, and above all, spending time with his family. He loved having family sing-alongs in the garage or basement. You would probably see him chopping wood, having a shot and a beer, or watching a good cowboy movie. He will always be remembered for his fun-loving spirit, his love of country music and his maintained garden. You may recall seeing him on his golf cart with his tools strapped on delivering zucchini from his garden to the neighbors, cutting his grass on his John Deere or plowing everyone’s driveway in the winter. Louis is survived by his wife, Sandy; their three daughters, Kimberly, Lorraine (Bill) Payne and Denise (James) Kahler; grandchildren, Ashton, Jacob and Ava; sisters, Minnie, Patsy, Marion, Hazel, Twylia and Donna; and countless nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, John, Jim and Cliff Gephart; sisters, Evelyn Opfar and Anna Lou Brown; and grandson, Alec James. He will always be remembered by his creative “way of doing things” or gadgets around the house. Thank you to the wonderful team at Commonwealth Hospice and his caretakers at Arden Courts who cared for him in his last days. He truly had a life lived to the fullest. He will never be replaced, and the world is a little emptier without him. If you knew him, you loved him. All we can hope for is to fill our dash (1938 – 2022) with memories and make sure the people we love know us and love us. He lived an amazing dash. Friends were received at PAUL E. BEKAVAC FUNERAL HOME, Elizabeth, from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, and will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, with a Panachida service at 7:30 p.m. Additional viewing will take place Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 at Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church, 330 Shaw Ave., McKeesport, PA 15132, from 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 10 a.m. with Father Dimitri D. Ermakov officiating. Everyone please meet at the church. Burial will follow in Round Hill Cemetery, Elizabeth Township. Offer condolences at www.bekavacfuneralhome.com.
