George F. Koepke

George F. Koepke, 98, of Woodville, TX and formerly of Oak Harbor, OH, passed away Tuesday, September 5, 2023. He was born on September 23, 1924, near Oak Harbor, a son of Fred A. & Ada L. (Meyer) Koepke. George married the former Reta M. Burkett of Gibsonburg, OH in 1948, and she preceded him in death on January 3, 2008.

George served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II as crew chief on C-47s and C-46s in the Pacific Theater. His government career continued as a Quality Assurance Inspector at the former Erie Army Depot near Port Clinton, OH before moving his family to El Paso to work with NASA at White Sands Missile Range. Two years later, NASA moved him to the Manned Spacecraft Center south of Houston (later renamed the Johnson Space Center), where he worked as Supervisor of Manned Space Flight Quality Assurance Inspections in the Space Center Simulation Laboratory until his retirement in 1979. His career spanned the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo Programs.

George and Reta built their first home in Oak Harbor, and their retirement home in Ivanhoe, south of Woodville, TX where they were founding members of Faith Lutheran Church. During retirement, George and Reta traveled extensively in the RV visiting friends and family throughout the country. George could fix anything and continued woodworking in retirement, making wooden toys for children which were sold at Heritage Village outside Woodville.

George is survived by his five children, Pamela Rae (Phil) Danley, Wendy Kay (Mike) Johnson, Robin Gay (Dave) Meyer, Kim Renee (Robert Johnson) Koepke, and Kevin Jay Koepke. He is also survived by grandchildren, Rebecca Danley Bell, Jessica Danley Killian, Sarah Johnson Taranto, Brett Hosea, Natalie Hosea, Jay Johnson Gee, and Autumn Johns as well as 13 great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife, Reta, George was preceded in death by his brothers, Grayson (Dorothy) Koepke, and Grant (Evelyn) Koepke.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, March 16, 2024, at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 165 Toussaint St., Oak Harbor with the Rev. Darryl Hamm officiating. Interment will be at Salem Township Union Cemetery, Oak Harbor, next to his wife, Reta. Crosser & Priesman Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Oak Harbor, is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be shared at www.crosserfuneralhome.com