✞DESERT VALLEY MORTUARY Somerton, AZ - Tina Marie Pepple July 26th 1941-August 24, 2015 - Earnestina [Tina] Marie Wall was born on July 26th, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Earnest and Mary Nell Wall. She left this world suddenly at her home in Yuma AZ on August 24th, 2015. Tina met and married the love of her life Moe E Pepple in Midwest City, OK while he was stationed at Tinker AF base. Together, they raised 4 children while living in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arizona. Throughout her life Tina enjoyed any activity that involved her family being together. Her biggest wish was that her family remain close to each other. In her spare time she enjoyed playing BINGO and bowling. She bowled on several leagues including Young and Old with her kids. After moving to Yuma in 1980 she was the office manager at Yuma News Agency working alongside her husband. She went on to work for AAFES at YPG where she eventually became the store manager. After 15 years at YPG she retired and went to work at Barneys, Frys and Arizona Western College as a bookkeeper. She retired a second time from AWC to stay home and care for her husband. She volunteered at YRMC where she worked as a Mended Heart Visitor. She would speak with patients who had undergone heart surgery during their recovery. She knew about this firsthand because she had gone through it herself. After attending Cardiac Rehab at YRMC she became a woman who wanted to be heart healthy. She continued to go to the gym until her final day.

Tina is survived by her children, Jimmy Sweetin of Anchorage, AK, Kenneth Pepple of Springfield MO, Kim [Ron] Adams of Yuma, and Mark [Melissa] Pepple of Yuma; also her beloved grandchildren twins Amanda and Alyssa Pepple, Krystal Pepple, Jesse Adams, Mark Pepple Jr, and Nathan Moses Pepple; her only great grandchild Lilah Grace Collins; brother Robert [Marleen] Wall of Oklahoma City, Ok and sister Donna Babcock.

Tina was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 41 years. Tina made lifetime friendships, still having a friend [Deanna] she had known since kindergarten. She never met a stranger. Her husband always said she was the only person he knew that could dial a wrong number and talk for half an hour. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at a later date. Special thanks to Desert Valley Mortuary for handling the arrangements.

✞Eileen M. Evans, 65, of Pine, AZ, passed away on October 12, 2007 She was born in Gettysburg, PA on May 16, 1942. She is survived by her husband, Leonial (Lee) of Pine, AZ; a daughter, Dannielle M. of Mesa AZ; her mother, Frances L. Pepple of Paola, KS; and 2 sisters, Nadene Nikiel and Laura Laybourne, both of Paola, KS. Services were held on October 17, 2007; interment at the National Memorial Cemetery of Phoenix.

✞Nadene Louise Pepple Nikiel was born in Newton, NJ on September 30, 1949 to Donald and Frances Pepple. She had an older sister Eline, an older brother Moe, and a younger sister Laura. She married Christopher Nikiel January 19, 1991 and they had just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. She has two children Alisa (Ali) Nikiel Cecchini and Christopher Nikiel. Ali is married to Robert Cecchini and Christopher is married to Tina Ellis Nikiel. She has seven grandchildren and one grandchild-in-law. They are Miranda Cecchini-Roosevelt (20), Jacob Cecchini-Roosevelt (21) spouse, Veronica Cecchini (14), Elaina Cecchini (13), Sha’Linda Cecchini (1), Timothy Nikiel (10), Trenton Nikiel (10) and Brooklynne Nikiel (6). However everyone she met called her Granny, and she never met a stranger. She is survived by her younger sister, husband, children and all grandchildren.

Nadene graduated high school in Anchorage, Alaska, and lived in many states during her life including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Arizona, California, North Carolina and Kansas. She worked in insurance most of her adult life in both regional and agency offices. She was an active member of Paola Christian Church and helped in many ministries there. She worked for a time as a delivery driver for Meals on Wheels, and then later at the Senior Center in the kitchen. She was a foster parent for lost animals with Hope, and she rescued many animals through that program. Her husband and son are Masons, and she would make deserts for the Paola Masonic Lodge on a regular basis.

A few years ago she went on vacation and traveled Europe. She went to see the Weeping Lion in Switzerland as this had been a lifelong dream of hers. She had traveled to every state except Hawaii. Nadene loved to read and almost always had a book or her Kindle with her. She started sewing at a very young age and made doll clothes out of scrap material by hand and then learned how to use a sewing machine. She would often drag her daughter and granddaughters to material stores so she could touch each bolt of fabric. She crocheted many things, but doilies were her favorite to do, and she had just learned how to knit. She loved to do crafts of any kind, and wasn’t afraid to try a new one. She did all of the flowers for her daughter and then later her granddaughters weddings.

Nadene surprised her family by becoming an organ donor later in her life. The family is very happy that her life will continue on in others.

Nadene was called home by her Lord and Savior May 15, 2016. She will be missed by her family, her lifelong friends, and all of the people that she was able to help during her life. She was a sister, a wife, a mom, and a Granny all rolled into one. We love you!

Nadene's Memorial Service will be held Saturday May 21st at Paola Christian Church, 302 E. Peoria, Paola, KS at 2:00 PM, dinner will follow.