James R. “Shep” Schepers, age 77 of Celestine

James R. “Shep” Schepers, age 77 of Celestine, Indiana, passed away at 10:06 pm on Thursday, May 11, 2023 at Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana.

Shep was born in Celestine, Indiana on April 17, 1946 to Frank and Hilda (Merkley) Schepers.  He married Eileen C. “Tootie” Voegerl on July 9, 1966 in St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jasper, Indiana.

He retired from Knies Construction as a Heavy Equipment Operator. He also worked for Jr. Knies Excavating and Duane Knies Excavating.  Shep and Tootie were also the owners of Schepers Tavern in Celestine in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

He was a member of St. Isidore Parish, the Celestine Community Club, the Schnellville Conservation Club, and was a Celestine Jaycees Rooster.

Shep enjoyed playing cards, mushroom hunting, playing horseshoes, golf cart rides, camping, and spending time with friends and family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Surviving are his wife, Eileen Schepers of Celestine, three daughters, Nancy May (Steve), Huntingburg, Lisa Schroering (Paul), Jasper, and Holly Persohn (Nick), Huntingburg, one son, Scott Schepers (Bridget), Elsmere, KY, seven grandchildren, Shane, Katie, Zachary, Korbyn, Bailey, Jack, and David, four great grandchildren, Marcus, Lydia, Karina, and Aubree, seven sisters, Norma Mitchell, Eckerty, Clara Blount (Mike), Huntingburg, Dorothy Persohn, Birdseye, Barbara Strange, Holland, Sandy Deich (Roger), Celestine, Susie Dooley (Richard), Birdseye, Janet Schepers, Washington, and two brothers, Edwin Schepers (Trina), Huntingburg, and Allan Schepers, Bristow.  

Preceding him in death were his parents, three grandchildren, Benton Kluesner, Regan Persohn and Piper Persohn, one son-in-law, Terry Kluesner, and two brothers, Tom and Leroy Schepers.

A Mass of Christian Burial for James R. “Shep” Schepers will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2023, in St. Isidore Parish - St. Raphael Catholic Church in Dubois, Indiana, with burial to follow in St. Celestine Cemetery in Celestine, Indiana.

A visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at the Becher-Kluesner Downtown Chapel in Jasper, Indiana.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Isidore Parish, the Benton Kluesner Memorial Scholarship, or a favorite charity.

Condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com.