Gervase Andrew Hephner (February 5, 1936 – June 26, 2011) was a

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

politician and legislator. He was a member of the Wisconsin Assembly, serving the 6th District from 1967 until 1986.Wisconsin Blue Book, 1981-82 Edition, ''Members of the State Legislature'', Page 25.

Background

Born in

Rantoul, Wisconsin Rantoul is a town in Calumet County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 798 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated community of Wells is located partially in the town. Geography The Town of Rantoul is located in northeastern Calume ...

, Hephner attended

St. Norbert College St. Norbert College (SNC) is a private Norbertine liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the co ...

, and later graduated from the

University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (UW Oshkosh or UW Osh) is a public university in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs to nearly 14,000 students e ...

in 1960. He was an

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

veteran of the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

from 1954 to 1956. Hephner enlisted near the end of the war and served as the driver for General

Maxwell D. Taylor Maxwell Davenport Taylor (August 26, 1901 – April 19, 1987) was a senior United States Army officer and diplomat of the mid-20th century. He served with distinction in World War II, most notably as commander of the 101st Airborne Division, ni ...

. He achieved the rank of Specialist Third Class. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, and was a former secretary of the '' Calumet County Democratic Party''. He also farmed and developed land during his life just outside

Chilton, Wisconsin Chilton is a city in and county seat of Calumet County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 4,080 at the 2020 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Chilton. History The first residents of Chilton were Africa ...

. He had a lodge in rural Marinette County, Wisconsin near Athelstane. Hephner planted hundreds of trees at the lodge and (along with his wife Kay) was named Tree Farmers of the Year.

Politician

Hephner served in the Wisconsin Assembly from 1967 until 1986. During his tenure, he authored many bills, including the bill that established the Veterinary College at the

University of Wisconsin-Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

. He left the Assembly to run for the state's

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

position but his bid failed.

Later life and death

After leaving politics, he became a lobbyist. He died at the Calumet Medical Center in Chilton on June 26, 2011. He was buried at the St. Augustine Catholic Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hephner, Gervase 1936 births 2011 deaths People from Rantoul, Wisconsin Farmers from Wisconsin Military personnel from Wisconsin St. Norbert College alumni University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh alumni Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly People from Chilton, Wisconsin