White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

Denver - Dean Robert Roepke, 25 years old, of Denver, Iowa, formerly of Independence, Iowa, died on Thursday, July 19, 2012, at his home in Denver. He was born on May 23, 1987, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Robert August and Carol Jean (Coulter) Roepke. He graduated from high school in Independence with the Class of 2005. On April 3, 2012, he and the former Alecia Jane Dauchenbaugh were married at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Mr. Roepke was a Sergeant with the Iowa National Guard in Iraq and Afghanistan before his discharge earlier this year. He was currently employed at the Target Distribution Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He was a member of the V.F.W. posts in both Denver and Independence, and he was a volunteer fire fighter in Denver. Mr. Roepke liked to spend time with his family. He was a “Do-It-Yourself” person and usually had a project going someplace.

Mr. Roepke is survived by his wife, Alecia, his father and step mother, Robert (Diane) Roepke of Hazleton, Iowa, his mother and step father, Carol (Robert) Quass of Independence, Iowa, 2 brothers, Bradley Roepke of Denver, Iowa, and Cody (Tasha) Warnke of Readlyn, Iowa, 3 sisters, Kimberly Roepke of Waterloo, Iowa, Karla (Justin) Buchholz of Waterloo, Iowa, and Nicole Warnke of Ypsilanti, Michigan.  He is also survived by his maternal grandparents, Madonna and Bill Coulter of Independence, Iowa, his parents-in-law, Patricia (Jon) Hotelling of Findley, Ohio, and Brian Dauchenbaugh of Denver, Iowa, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his step mother, Monika Roepke, and his paternal grandparents, Margaret and Leonard Roepke.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 24, 2012, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Independence.  Rev. Donald Plamondon will be the Celebrant.  Casket Bearers will be Elliott Henderson, Aaron Hines, Michael Stieger, Robbie Nielsen, Adam Nielsen, and Joe Kullen.  Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery in Independence.

Friends may call for visitation from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday, July 23^rd, at the White Funeral Home in Independence where a Parish Rosary begins at 3 p.m. and a Vigil Service begins at 7 p.m.