Randal Gordon Lepak, known as Butch by most, was born on April 23, 1961 in Stevens Point, WI and went to be with the Father in Heaven on September 4, 2024 after a valiant battle with brain cancer. He was 63 years old.

Butch was #3 of 8 children born to Pat and Cy Lepak who raised them living off the land on Silver Lake in Cumberland, WI. His childhood included a lot of hard work - collecting maple sap after school, cleaning the cabins of Lepak's Silver Lake Resort in the summer, making wood to heat the house in the winter and helping work three large gardens. It also included a lot of hard play - swimming in the lake with the summer cabin kids, playing hockey during the winters, hunting and fishing, and of course, playing football & baseball in school. His fun, humorous, charismatic personality made him many friends and allowed him to get away with many pranks, especially with coaches, without much penalty.

When he was in grade school in Cumberland, he met Julie Jansen who became his best friend and who would become his wife of 42 years! Butch was blessed with an extraordinary positive attitude and enthusiasm for life. After marrying Julie in 1982, they embarked on an adventurous life to the Pacific Northwest driving to Alaska where Butch hunted, fished and learned to fly his plane.

After spending five years in Fairbanks, Alaska they relocated to LaCenter, WA where Butch finished his education getting his Masters in Education at Portland State. He had an incredible way of always making work fun, so it's no surprise then, he would be "my favorite teacher" to many children, making learning fun for 30 years teaching 4th graders in La Center, WA.

Butch was an avid Packer enthusiast all his life and had a passion for salmon fishing. He was so enthusiastic about salmon fishing that they bought a house on the Columbia River so he could fish off his backyard! They also had 15 acres of woods where Butch enjoyed his lifelong hobbies of making wood, clearing trails and setting up cameras to see wildlife and hunting potential.

Butch and Julie became parents to Butch's older sister Terry's children, Nephresha and TJ, raising them for 8 1/2 years. Interestingly, Nephresha's birthday landed on Butch's birthday and TJ's birthday landed on Julie's birthday - some might call that fate.

Butch loved the Lord. His strong, unwavering faith got him through many experiences in life, like when he discovered he had an aggressive cancerous brain tumor in November 2022. It brought him home to Cumberland to be with family and the Lord's love gave him unending strength and peace to endure the battle. He loved and cherished Julie and his family and was always saying how extremely grateful and blessed he was to have their love, especially these last couple years.

Butch is survived by his wife Julie (Jansen) Lepak, parents Cy & Pat (Hamenka) Lepak of Cumberland WI, Nephresha Singletary of Los Angeles, CA and TJ (&Nicole) Singletary of Miami FL. Siblings Terry (Lepak) Singletary, CA, Vince (& Meg) Lepak of Cumberland WI, Viki Lepak of NYC, Jack (& Kristi) Lepak of Kansas City MO, Tina (Lepak) & David Lippiatt of Southlake TX, Marty (& Laine) Lepak of Hudson WI, Craig Lepak of Lakeland Shores MN, Godmother Czoicza/Auntie Olga Hornung and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He is also survived by his father-in-law Steve Jansen of Cumberland WI, brother-in-law Steve (& Cindy) Jansen of Ladysmith, WI, sisters-in-laws Kathy (& Kevin) Brown of Boyceville, WI, Terry (& Brinden) Johnson and Jill (& Bob) Ranallo of Cumberland WI and was Uncle to many nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces. He is preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Mary Jane Jansen.

Thank you, Butch, for all the love, laughs, and life you've shared with us! You were deeply loved and will be tremendously missed by so many.

A Memorial Service will take place on Thursday, September 12th at 11:00 am at Hope Community Church at 1788 Elm Street, Cumberland, WI. With visitation one hour prior to service at 10:00 am.

Last Update: Sep 07, 2024 9:51 am CDT