Mr. John Alvin Peppers' Obituary
Mr. John A. Peppers was born on August 7, 1943 in Goldville, Alabama to Hershel Leonard Peppers and Mary Elba Bailey Peppers. He passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2023 at Russell Medical. He was an active member of St John the Apostle Catholic Church.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Judith Peppers; daughters, Sarah Marie Peppers, Amanda Ruth Peppers; son, Travis Peppers; grandchildren, Addison Crawford (Sarah), Rachel Marie Crawford, Nevin Peppers, Alessa Peppers; brother, Glen Peppers (Denise); sister, Peggy Easterwood (Phillip) and his loyal fur baby, Gizmo. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Patsy Stephens and brothers, Jim Lee and Lynn Peppers.
The dash of one’s life, is one’s immortality. As a reader, 1943 is far away from one’s imagination, and the dash is a mystery. Like many descendants of America being built, the Great War, and the Depression; there was a grit inherited to those of my father’s time. The values, virtues, and will, gifted to them from those who were forged by the latter was the imprint of their frame.
The dash between dates is our early life lesson of “Show and Tell”
The dash begins, at age 16, in 1956, he joined the most prestigious might of the world, our United States Navy, under the Motto “Wooden Ships and Iron Men”. A man of Iron, he was! Bestowed with unsought honor of the Silver Cross, two Bronze Stars, the Gallantry Cross for actions in combat, numerous Combat Actions medals with distinctions of valor, and multiple purple hearts, he served us and our Nation! Honor is he who was!
He retired in 1979 with the privileged rank of the world renowned, respected by all foreign services, “The Navy Chief”! As a reward of selfless service for others, God gifted him his most beautiful creature, my mother! Together they blessed the world with two stoic daughters and four beautiful grandchildren. As his son, in my youth, my father was hard to understand, my sisters would agree, he was a man of two worlds, one that is here, and one that is forever part of his time served. Without living his live and walking in his shoes, his way was one that our own grit has not become.
Through his eyes, and his words, the stories of our common bond in Alexander have traveled even further today from his time of service. From the sands of Iraq, and to the tallest mountains of Afghanistan, and to the remotest jungles of Indonesia, there is not a shaman, village elder, or warlord that does not know the beauty of our common bond in Alexander City, Alabama. Most importantly, what makes us, all the readers today, proud to call it our home and who we are!
Through fellow service and flags covering our heroes on departing ramps, I learned I was wrong. He was not a man of two worlds, only one. A world of Honor! Most importantly, home is simply where our memories smile. Our father had a simple creed, a simple way, if you ever felt uncertain or lost, he would remind you of the priorities of life in its order: Alabama, Country, Duty, Honor, and Family.
At the end of the dash in 2023, The “River of Life” is humbly reminded, that it runs on the basement of time, and the sun, can only set on time. The Memories of one’s time lives forever with the stories will tell. Thank you, Dad, for giving us the greatest show to ever tell!
From one fellow Navy Chief to another. I toast the phrase “Navy Chief, Navy Pride” we love you Dad, we miss, we honor you, and our memories smile brighter today.
Your son,
Chief Peppers, United States Navy.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to The Brown Bag Program at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, 454 North Central Avenue, Alexander City, AL, 35010.
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