Annette E Peppers

Annette Edith (Statzell) Peppers
20 November 1935 - 14 November 2024

Annette Edith Statzell Peppers, the daughter of Raymond and Edna Statzell, was born on November 20, 1935, in Atlantic, Iowa, and passed on November 14, 2024, in her Exira, Iowa, home, at the age of 88 years, 11 months, and 25 days.

Annette grew up in Exira, enjoying everything a small town offers, with frequent stays with relatives on their nearby homesteads. During her high school years, Annette was active in the Order of the Rainbow, Order of the Eastern Star, marching band and cheerleading for the Exira Vikings. After graduating high school in 1954, Annette was accepted into the Registered Nurse program at Saint Anthony’s School of Nursing in Carroll, Iowa, where she graduated in May, 1957.

Throughout nursing school, she dated a young man named Jack Peppers. They were joined in marriage on September 2, 1957, at the Federated Church in Exira. Shortly after, they moved to Iowa City where Annette was a Registered Nurse at the University of Iowa Hospital while Jack attended the University of Iowa. During this time, Annette and Jack welcomed their first child.

Upon Jack’s graduation, they began a life together in the United States Army that took them first to Germany for three years. Just six months after arriving, Annette was left alone with two young sons when the Berlin Crisis of 1961 erupted. This early experience set the pattern for her life as her life revolved around her family providing the continuity and stability to a challenging military lifestyle. That life soon included a third child, all of whom she raised through Jack’s year long deployments, training and eventual war time years. Annette mastered this family anchor role for 32 years, traveling the world far away from her small town. Her Iowa roots and values always made her at ease, carrying her through any situation.

Annette continued her nursing during several of their assignments, in Panama and Virginia, and volunteered with many organizations, such as Army Community Service, the American Red Cross, International Fellows at the US Army War College, Officers Wives Club, and during one tour abroad, taught colloquial English at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. In addition to being a mentor to all in the Army community, Annette never missed the opportunity to volunteer with her children’s activities, acting as Den mother in Cub Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, Girl Scouts, Parent Teacher organizations, fundraising and team mother for numerous sports teams.

After their retirement, Annette and Jack joyfully returned to Exira to be with family and friends, and became active in the community and many volunteer services. Together they conducted numerous blood drives in Exira, participated in Relay for Life and Meals on Wheels, among others. Annette and Jack were dedicated members of the Federated Church and the Exira Fellowship Church.

Her greatest love though, was traveling the world with Jack and traveling to see her grandchildren. This created many trips abroad, taking her back to Germany and Europe, and additional travel to Australia, Puerto Rico, Canada and of course, their beloved, United States.

Annette was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Peppers, her parents, Raymond and Edna Statzell, her sister, Maxine Statzell, her parents-in-law, Sherman and Ruth Peppers, her sister-in-law, Sherry Eddy, her brother-in-law, Reu Eddy, and sister-in-law, Nadine Peppers.

She is survived by her sons, Mike Peppers (Ann) of Steilacoom, Washington, and Dan Peppers (Mary Beth) of Papillion, Nebraska, her daughter, Jackie Fricke (Tom) of Dallas, Texas, her brothers-in-law, Rick Peppers of Orange City, Iowa, and Russ Peppers (Christine) of Dewey, Arizona, her eight grandchildren, whom she loved watching grow, and her nine great-grandchildren, who are the new generation. Annette also felt very blessed to have many treasured nieces and nephews, who greatly enriched her life and meant so much to her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the City of Exira, Exira Community Visioning Program or the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital Fund, and may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home P.O. Box 201, Audubon, IA 50025.

Annette's funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Exira, IA, with Pastor Clinton Franciso officiating. Interment will take place following the funeral at the Exira Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the Exira Community Hall following the interment.

Visitation with the family will be held one hour before the funeral at the funeral home on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Exira is handling the arrangements for the Annette Peppers Family.