Madelyn Epler

Madelyn (Lynn) Hinson Epler was born January 14, 1934, in Old Hickory, TN. Her family moved to Richland, WA in June 1944, when she was ten. Lynn spent her growing up years in Richland and graduated from Columbia High School in 1952. Shortly after graduation, she went to work for General Electric.

She was united in marriage on December 21, 1954, to Richard J. (Dick) Epler. It's reported that one of their first encounters was when Madelyn and a few friends decided to "borrow" one of Dick's artistic paintings to hide it from him eventually returning it to his locker. He maintains to this day that it was really Lynn who instigated it all and she seemed to support this assumption. After all, she signed his yearbook as "Safecracker Hinson".

Lynn and Dick's wedding ceremony was the first one performed at the new Richland Baptist Church, where Lynn's parents were charter members. And for nearly 63 years thereafter, their marriage was truly one of the great romances. Their example of self-sacrifice and devoted love for each other was a testimony to everyone who knew them. As Dick recalled, it was a fated love for "If not for Lynn, I would never have gotten married. I've never seen anyone like her. She never played games ... I could always trust her judgment without question ... even when she could no longer speak. She had a way of letting me know when I needed to do something ... and when I got it right ... right up to the last minute."

Their union was blessed with four children. Lynn not only enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom, she was particularly good at it. In that role, she was not only "Mom," she was a nurturer, doctor, nurse, teacher, cab driver, cook, housekeeper, homework helper, clothes washer, cheerleader, and disciplinarian. Most importantly, she truly made our house a home you wanted to grow up in, to be a part of, and to cherish. Lynn's talent for homemaking was especially evident during the Christmas Season when she joyfully created a magical place full of lights, decorations, the scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, candles and music. She could often be heard singing in her finest operatic voice, "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" while cooking breakfast.

In addition to her activities associated with being a wife and mother, Lynn could often be seen at the bowling alley, where she continued in the vein of her parents and siblings of being a naturally gifted bowler, often earning herself a trophy for high game or best bowler.

True to her loving & generous nature, her priorities were her faith and her family and she embodied a warm, caring and generous spirit, with a dash of playfulness thrown in. As one of her children put it,

"Mom was one in a million to which the likes of her have never been or will ever come again. I never ever had to question her love and support for me and there wasn't a phony or dishonest bone in her body."

While others may define a successful life as the accumulation of wealth, worldly status, and material goods, Lynn defined success as having someone to love and who loves you back, being a good wife and mother, nurturing life-long friendships and in being faithful to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On all counts, Lynn's life was a great success story.

Lynn quietly departed this life on Sunday, December 3rd in her own home, where she'd been lovingly cared for during her last years by her husband.

She will be greatly missed and her life will be forever cherished in the lives of her surviving husband, her four children, Sherri Epler Fitzgerald, Jim (Susan) Epler, Mike (Dua) Epler, Rob (Jamie) Epler, and her 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

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