Marlon S. Jepson

Marlon S. Jepson, 70, of Onawa, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at Elmwood Care Centre, Onawa, Iowa from complications of metastatic prostate cancer.

A memorial service will be 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at the Goslar Funeral Home Chapel, Onawa, Iowa with Pastor Paul Coen, officiating. A visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the Chapel. A live stream of the service will be posted on the Goslar Funeral Home website with Marlon’s obituary. Burial will be held at a later date in the Ingemann Cemetery, rural Moorhead, Iowa. Arrangements are under the direction of Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments, Onawa, Iowa.

Marlon Scott was born November 9, 1951 in Onawa, Iowa, the son of Magnus “Mac” and Dorothy (Petersen) Jepson. He grew up on farms near Woodbine, Dunlap, and Little Sioux. He was a graduate of West Monona High School, Waldorf College at Forest City, and Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, Iowa.

Marlon chose piano tuning and servicing as his life’s work from 1974 until his death. His work diversified to include antique pump organs, player pianos, and custom furniture refinishing. He was a part-time employee with Darrow Pipe Organ for 25 years as a service, shop assistant, and piano specialist. Marlon served his community for 22 years as a motor-route newspaper carrier. Marlon participated in productions of the Onawa Community Players, maintained an ongoing interest in progressive politics, became an avid guitar player who played with local bands, a voracious non-fiction reader, and a collector of diverse music styles from John Cage experimentalism, the jazz of Miles Davis, classic rock of the 60’s and early 70’s, and the works of Frank Zappa.

Marlon was affected by autism spectrum disorder which was undiagnosed until 2018. It compromised his ability to efficiently process information and interact socially throughout his childhood years to adulthood. Despite frequent misunderstandings by his family and the public, contending with occasional bullying even into his adult years, he was able to forge a life based on mutual respect and quality of service rendered.

Survivors include his mother, Dorothy Jepson of Onawa, Iowa; brother, Timothy Jepson of Kansas City, Missouri; sister-in-law, Deborah Jepson of Spencer, Iowa; two nephews, Christian and Matthew Jepson of Kansas City, Missouri; niece, Emily (Jepson) Hirdler of Springfield, Missouri; numerous musical friends; and many appreciative customers.

He was preceded in death by his father, Magnus Jepson; brother, David Jepson; sister, Kristine Jepson; brother, Paul Jepson, who passed away on January 31, 2022, only 20 days after Marlon’s death.

Condolences may be left online for the family at www.goslarfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marlon S. Jepson, please visit our floral store.