Sophie Schwartze Schepker (91) entered peacefully into eternal rest, joyfully reuniting with her husband, Jake, on December 23, 2010.
One of 12 children, Sophie was born on January 28, 1919, in Argyle, MO. She is survived by her sisters Rita and Catherine, and her brother Albert; her six children and their spouses: Stan and Barb Schepker of St. Louis; Don and Marge Schepker of Topeka, KS; Rebecca and Daniel Smith of St. Louis; Jim and Anita Schepker of West Hartford, CT; Mike and Kim Schepker of St. Peters; Elaine and John Arthur of St. Louis: 11 grandchildren and their spouses: Matt and Becky Schepker, Andy, Meghan, Vicki and Kelly Flynn, D.J and Kristen Schepker, Beth, Sarah Hartland, Lisa and Kevin Moresco, Michael, Kristen and Caroline: and 4 “dandy” great-grandchildren: Cameron, Nicholas, Grace, and James.
Before marriage and during WWII, Sophie worked as a housemaid and then at Carter Carburetor in St. Louis. She was a constant volunteer at the former Most Holy Name of Jesus parish in North St. Louis, where she held numerous leadership roles in a host of parish organizations. She also served as a food prep and baker at the Hyde Park Bissell Mansion Restaurant, the City’s oldest private residence, for more than a decade. She was famous for her lifelong cooking, baking and canning skills. Always the last to retire and the earliest to rise in the Schepker household, Sophie was tireless in her dedication to raising first her children, and then the next generation of her grandchildren.