Merle D. Reppard

REPPARD, MERLE D.,?Mike? Beloved Father, and Grandfather, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001 after a long struggle with Parkinson?s Disease.Mike was a resident of Elcor Nursing Home in Horseheads, NY.He was born in 1922, the son of Grover Cleveland Reppard and Ora Belle Davis Reppard . He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 35 years, Julia Senko Reppard; his son, William (Bill) Reppard; and his brother Claude Reppard. Surviving are his daughter, Donna Reppard of Northampton, MA, and her sons, Chester Keefe III, of Chester, MA., and Sean (Sheau-Wah) Keefe of San Francisco, CA; his daughter Cindy (Bill) Braly, and her daughter Elise Braly of Gray, Tenn.; his daughter, Cheryl (Dwight) Spear, of Elmira, NY, and her children, Kathleen (Mike Jr.) Mandell of Horseheads, and Christopher (Lisa Hibbard) Wesneski of Dallas, TX. Also surviving are the children of Mike?s late son Bill; Owen Reppard, and Deanna Reppard of Pine City. His sisters survive Mike; Ila (Bill) Woodhull of Sun City, AZ, and Wilda (Jerry) Baker of Pine City, NY and also several nieces and nephews. Early in the 1940?s Mike married Julia Senko Reppard. Throughout their life together, Mike and Julia and their children, enjoyed camping, boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, hunting for animals, antiques, and organic gardening. Mike also enjoyed coaching a championship Little League Girls? baseball team in Southport. He was a member of the Penna. Ave. United Methodist Church in Pine City, NY.During WWII, Mike entered the Army Air Force, and graduated a 2nd Lieutenant from Officers? Training School, as a B-24 Bomber Pilot. All his life, flying remained his passion and he flying his private airplanes here in the Elmira area for many years. After WWII, Mike was employed as a toolmaker and designer, and then as a tool room foreman at the Remmington Rand in Elmira. In the 1950?s, he was one of the founding partners of Upstate Tool Inc. formerly in Elmira Heights, and later, one of the founders of Mega Tool & Mfg. Corp. in Elmira, NY.Mike was the first Corporation President of Mega Tool and served in that capacity from 1965 to 1991. During his lifetime he was proud to be a teacher and mentor to many of this areas? current tool/die makers and designers. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Olthof Funeral Home, 1050 Penna. Ave., Elmira, NY on Monday, Nov. 12, from 2-4pm, and 7-8pm.At 8pm, Pastor William Vallet from the Penna. Ave. United Methodist Church will conduct the funeral service for Mike. Flowers are welcomed. It was Mike?s wish that friends and family members might consider making donations to the National Warplane Museum, or to his church, The Penna. Ave. United Methodist Church in his memory.Anyone that wishes may light a Candle of Remembrance in Mike?s name at www.olthof.com.?Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings, sunward I?ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds ? and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of ? wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there, I?ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long, delirious burning blue, I?ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace, where never lark, or even eagle flew, and while with silent, lifting mind, I?ve trod the high untresspassed sanctity of space,- put out my hand, and touched the face of God.? -- High Flight, by John G. Magee, Jr