Roepke, Cpl. Aaron Peter 1978-2003

ROEPKE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/28/2009 at 15:23:14

SERGEANT BLUFF -- Cpl. Aaron Peter Roepke, United States Marine Corps, 24, of Northridge, Calif., formerly of Kingsley, Iowa, and Sergeant Bluff, was taken home to his Lord Jesus on Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, while stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

Services will be 10 a.m. today at Our Savior's First Lutheran Church in Granada Hills, Calif. Burial will be in Eternal Valley Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, Calif.

The world was given a true symbol of God's Love when Aaron was born in Sioux City on Sunday, Aug. 20, 1978, to Gary and Mary Roepke. Aaron was welcomed to the Lord's Enteral Family through Holy Baptism on Sept. 24, 1978, at First Lutheran Church in Kingsley.

He attended school at Sergeant Bluff-Luton Elementary School in Sergeant Bluff until he moved with his family to California in 1990. He then attended First Lutheran Elementary School in Van Nuys, Calif., and Los Angeles Lutheran High School in Sylmar, Calif. He finished high school at Granada Hills High School in Granada Hills, Calif., where he was captain of the football and wrestling teams. He graduated from Granada Hills High School in 1997. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 2000, where he specialized as an aircraft welder. He rose to the rank of corporal, serving at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Okinawa, Japan.

He was truly a gift from God. He loved living life to the fullest. Everyone he had contact with benefited from his presence and his deep, kind heart. He always had a warm smile and would gladly do anything for his family, a friend, or even a stranger. He inspired the best in all of us.

Aaron had a way with people and especially with children. While in Japan, he volunteered his off-duty time at a youth shelter and was well loved by the children there. He was especially happy to spend time with his family and play with his two nieces, and they loved every minute of it.

He was very proud of being a United States Marine and treasured the sense of duty and bonds of friendship that were created. The Corps was his second family. He valued his faith, family, friends and the Corps above all other things, they were the center of his heart.

He had a deep and abiding faith in his Lord Jesus Christ that guided him and comforted him throughout his life. He was active in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, and was a missionary for God throughout his life by the way he lived, loved and treated others.

He leaves behind an extensive family including his parents, Gary and Mary Roepke of Northridge, Calif.; his paternal grandparents, Eldon and Rowena Roepke of Kingsley, Iowa; his older brothers, Erik Roepke of Minneapolis, Minn., and Mark Roepke of Arlington, Va.; his older sisters, Heidi Peter of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and Holly (Seydina) Seck of Chatsworth, Calif.; his younger brothers, Jonpaul Roepke of Newport Beach, Calif., and Joshua Roepke of Northridge, Calif.; his nieces, Kaitlin Roepke and Tara Peter; three great-aunts; a great-uncle; six aunts; seven uncles; 20 first cousins; 26 second cousins; friends and fellow Marines from around the world too numerous to count.

He was welcomed to heaven by those family members whom he loved in life and who preceded him in death, including his great-grandfather, Otto Roepke; his maternal grandparents, Carl and Mary Kirkholm; his great-uncles, Raymond Horsch and Merlin Koetke; and his aunt, Mildred Neilson.

Aaron will never be forgotten. He will be forever loved.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal--part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection