Gary Jepson

Funeral Service for Gary Jepson, 85, of Killdeer, will be 11:00 am, Monday, May 18, 2026 at the Dunn County Rodeo Grounds. Burial will follow at Haven of Rest Cemetery, Whetstone, ND.

Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the Dunn County Rodeo Grounds.

Gary passed away Friday, April 24, 2026 at his home near Killdeer.

Gary Myron Jepson was born on January 3, 1941 to Agnes Sloan. He spent the majority of his growing up years with Ole, Helge, Oscar and Dagmar Sloan.

He received his early education in a country school and later attended Killdeer High School, graduating in 1958. During high school, Gary played football and rode bareback horses.

After high school, he continued riding bareback horses and earned his RCA permit. He said Fettigs would bring on as many horses as they wanted to get on.

In 1963, Gary was united in marriage to Mavis Reems. He got a lot of ribbing about having his wedding on the first day of deer season. After getting married, Gary and Mavis moved to Sturgis, South Dakota, where Gary attended horseshoeing school. He went on to shoe horses for the next 40 years, taking great pride in corrective work and watching these horses perform.

Gary began trapping at the age of 11 with the help of his Uncle Helge, starting with skunks. He went on to become a long-line trapper and worked across Louisiana, California, Colorado, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Nevada. He worked alongside Leo Olson, Brent Woodworth, and Rich Ackerman.

Gary was an active member of the Fur Takers of America, serving as vice president multiple times. He also wrote monthly articles for the Fur Takers Magazine, authored a book about his life as a trapper, and made several instructional videos on trapping.

He taught at Trappers College in Indiana for 31 years, averaging around 50 students each year.

Gary loved horses. He broke many over the years and had a deep appreciation for the outdoors.

In 1976, Gary and others in the community helped start the North Dakota Gelbvieh Association. He raised Gelbvieh cattle and did his own AI work.

In the 1980's, Gary started his own lure making business selling nationwide. Mavis spent many hours in the basement helping him bottle lure and baits.

In later years, Gary developed an interest in draft horse driving. Gary and his granddaughter, Shantell, took in several driving schools and participated in several seeding and harvesting seasons at the horse fest.

Gary was a proud member of AA, receiving his 50-year chip. He died sober.

Gary is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mavis; his children, Lisa (Jeff) Hoots, Myron (Teresa) Jepson, and Chad (April) Jepson; grandchildren, Kale (Nikki) Dorner, Kadee (Chance) Fowler, Andrew (Shruthi) Jepson, Shantell (Phil) Dukart, Allison (Brady) Klein, Jade (Jesse) Knutson, Colt (Magda) Mavity, Rhet (Mariah) Mavity; great-grandchildren, Sage, Darci, Colton, Carson, Adalyn, Amelia; former daughter-in-law, Shannon; siblings, Loren, Arden, Joni, Aaron, and Connie.

He was preceded in death by his uncles, Ole, Helge and Oscar Sloan; aunt Dagmar Sloan; mother, Agnes Sloan Jepson; sister, Diane Allmendinger and his father and mother-in-law, Harold and Thelma Reems.