Louis (Louie) Eppolite

The memorial service for Louis (Louie) Eppolite will be held at 12 noon on Saturday June 8th, at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home in Rochester. Burial will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date. Mr. Eppolite, 86, of Byron, died at home Tuesday, June 4, with his family at his side. Louie Eppolite was born February 26, 1927, in Bessemer, MI, to Arnold and Mary (Magnaghetti) Eppolite. He grew up in Yale Location of Bessemer. He served in the U.S. Army from October 1945 to October 1946 with an honorable discharge. Louie worked at the Carey Iron Ore Mine in the Bessemer area. He married Beverly Gerry on June 5, 1948. In 1958 they moved to Tucson, AZ, where he managed a CircleK convenience store. After a year they moved to Rochester where Louie worked at Osco Drugs until 1960 when he was hired by Mayo Clinic. There he was known by many as The Top Wop. He retired from there in 1989. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Rochester. Louie had been a scout leader and foster parent and had been active in the VFW. He loved finishing antique furniture and caning chairs. Most of all Louie loved to escape to favorite trout fishing spots in Southeast Minnesota. Louie is survived by his wife Beverly who nursed him well in his last two years; his daughter Margaret Hedberg of Dodge Center; his son Jeff (Carol) Eppolite of Cannon Falls; grandchildren Aaron (Heather) Eppolite of Minneapolis, Sissy Eppolite of Kasson, Brandon Hedberg of Dodge Center, Garion (Meghan) Eppolite of Rochester, AriOnna Eppolite of Byron, Freda Eppolite of Cannon Falls, and Gabriel Eppolite of Cannon Falls; great-grandchildren Heather and Dani Caswell of Kasson andDaKwon, James, Angalee, Garion Jr., Aubryana, and Gabrion, all of Rochester; his brother Bernardo of Tucson, AZ; his brother-in-law Johnny (Peggy) Gerry of Hurley, WI; and his sister-in-law Joyce (Curt) Rice of La Crosse, WI.. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Hugo, Charles, Vincent, and Franco; sisters-in-law Doreen Helig and Dolly Schimke; and brother-in-law Bobby Gerry. Friends and family may visit 1 hour prior to the service on Saturday, June 8th, at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, Rochester.