Edward Hepokoski died at his Port Angeles, Washington home from natural causes. He was 93 years old.

Edward was born to Eli and Hannah S. (Holmstrom) Hepokoski on the family farm in New York Mills, Minnesota.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1947 to 1967, retiring as a Chief Master Sergeant. During his service career, CMSGT Hepokoski was stationed in Alaska, California, Arizona, Texas, Kansas, Labrador (Greenland), Okinawa, and England, serving as a flight engineer on B-29 bombers, KC-97 air refueling tankers, KB-50 air refueling tankers, C-124, C-133, and C-141 cargo planes. On his last assignment, Edward served as a flight instructor and also managed the ground training portion of the new jet cargo transport C-141 Training Program at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

He married Verla May Rowell in 1948, and the marriage ended in divorce. In 1969, he married Maija Särkijärvi of Helsinki, Finland, and that marriage also ended in divorce.

Following his military service, he settled in San Jose, California, where he worked as a real estate salesman while completing his education. He attended San Jose State University, where he earned an MBA in business and an MS in Psychology. He worked in San Francisco conducting union elections in the state-wide school districts and mediating contract negotiations. In 1977, he started his own businesses. In 1985, he sold his businesses and moved to the Sierra Mountain community of Nevada City, California. In 1986, Edward built a cabin on the shore of Lake Mille Lacs, Minnesota, where he spent summers. In California, he built and sold several homes before moving to Port Angeles, Washington, where he resided with his fiancee, Shirley Angel.

Edward and Shirley enjoyed swing dancing, and each year they attended many of the Jazz Festivals held in California, Oregon, Washington, and on cruise ships. He was also a "movie buff"; his collection had several hundred titles. He was a member of the Elks and Jazz in the Olympics Society.

Edward is survived by his sister Mary Barnes of Rancho Mirage, California. He was preceded in death by his brothers Edwin, Reino, Charles, Melvin, and Aaron; and sisters Ruth Korpela, Marjorie Antilla, and Esther Sivula.

By his own request, formal services will not be conducted. Drennan-Ford Funeral Home will lay him to rest at the Ocean View Cemetery in Port Angeles, Washington.