Raymond H. Kephart

      Raymond H. Kephart, 85, of Washington died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, at Washington County Hospital, following a sudden illness.

      Celebration of Life services will begin at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Jan. 30, at

Jones -Eden Funeral Home in Washington, with the Rev. Richard Boyd officiating. Burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., Sunday at the funeral home, where family will receive friends from 2 until 4, Sunday afternoon. A memorials has been established for First Christian Church in Washington.

      Mr. Kephart was born Jan. 26, 1921, in Washington to Fred and Cecil (Hopping) Kephart. He married Beverley Benner on May 5, 1946, in Clear Lake.

      Mr. Kephart attended country school in Washington County. He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving from 1942 until 1946 in the South Pacific. He worked as a machinist at Louden ACCO in Fairfield for 28 years. He had farmed in Jefferson and Washington Counties. He was a life-long resident of Washington County.

      Mr. Kephart was a member of First Christian Church in Washington, a lifetime member of VFW in Fairfield, was involved with the OOD Fellows Lodge, and served as Grand Patriarch of the Encampment Branch for the State of Iowa. He enjoyed traveling, fishing, hunting, camping, woodworking, and machine work.

      He is survived by his wife, Beverley of Washington; four sons, Jay Kephart of Parksville, Mo, Lee Kephart and wife Rosemary of Richland, Lynn Kephart of Laconia, N.H., and Joel Kephart and wife Deb of Ollie; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one brother, Gerald Kephart and wife Judy of Knoxville; and one sister, Karen Nelson and husband Richard of Davenport.

      He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Janet Rae Kephart; one sister, Erma Regginetter; and three brothers, Bernard Kephart, Leslie Kephart and Lester Kephart.