By: Purvi Desai
ALLENTOWN His three sons say he was a gem of a man and a real gentleman.
An orphan at age 8, he started working with his uncle at what is now the Peppler Funeral Home when just 14.
And they say he used to kiss his wife good night, every day until she died five years ago.
Norman Peppler, 101, of Freehold, died Sept. 13, lived in Allentown for 68 years and owned the Peppler Funeral Home, which turned 100 last year, said his son, Bob Peppler, on Tuesday.
"He was just one beautiful man," all three sons, Edgar, 71, Bob, 68, and Richard, 63, agreed. "He respected everybody and was respected by everyone."
The Pepplers also own the Peppler Funeral home in Bordentown City, which they purchased in 1965.
The Peppler sons said Norman Peppler’s father, John Miller Peppler, died when he was just 3, and his mother, Phoebe Thomas Peppler, died when he was 8. At age 14, when he just completed 10th grade, Bob Peppler said his father went to work with his uncle, George Flemming, who was the funeral director of the Peppler Funeral Home at the time.
Norman Peppler went back to school in 1924 to get his funeral director license, and bought the funeral home from Mr. Flemming in 1927, Bob Peppler said. He retired in 1972, and moved to the Rossmoor retirement community in Monroe Township in 1969, he said.
Two of Norman Peppler’s sons, Bob and Edgar, currently run the Peppler Funeral Home, they said.
Richard Peppler said the fondest memories of his father are the August summers that Mr. Peppler took the whole family to Point Pleasant, where he rented a house and spent the whole month with the family playing miniature golf and fishing among other things.
"Back then, if he had a call from the funeral home, he would have to come back," he said. "They didn’t have cell phones that time, in the 1940s and early ’50s."
Edgar Peppler said he recalls working with his father at the funeral home since 1957 was a great joy.
"The father-son relationship was fantastic," he said. "He set a fine example for each of us to follow."
Bob Peppler said he echoed his brothers’ thoughts and comments.
"The love and patience he showed at this age with grandchildren and children was admirable."
Mr. Peppler was an active member of the Allentown United Methodist Church for 87 years, and exempt member of the Hope Fire Company of Allentown and past president of the Allentown Lions Club. Mr. Peppler was also a past president of the Mercer County Funeral Directors Association, and the senior past master of Gothic-Fraternal Lodge 270.
Mr. Peppler served as grand chaplain for the Grand Lodge of New Jersey in 1979-80 and was a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Central Jersey and Crescent Temple Shrine AAONMS.
"He served his community and the people of his community for many years," Edgar Peppler said. "He never left Allentown, even though he moved. He got buried in Allentown. He just loved Allentown."
A Masonic service was held Sunday and was followed by a funeral service at the Peppler Funeral Home in Allentown. An interment was held Monday at the Allentown Presbyterian Cemetery.
"We feel very fortunate to have had he and mother as parents," the Pepplers’ son said. Their parents were married for 71 years.

