Eunice Elaine Hepfel

Eunice Elaine (Olson, Bjorge) Hepfel, 86, of La Crescent, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2026, at Bethany Riverside Transitional Care in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

She was born on October 1, 1939, in Yucatan, Minnesota to Theodore and Myrtle Olson.

Eunice grew up in a large family with five brothers and four sisters. She spent her early years on a farm in Yucatan, surrounded by the beautiful countryside near Houston and Rushford. She began her education in a rural one-room schoolhouse. Her father farmed there until the family left the farm during Eunice’s teenage years and settled in Houston.

Her early life was marked by both love and significant loss. She lost a sister in March 1952. In 1958, she lost an eight-year-old brother, followed by the death of her father in September of that same year. Her mother died only a few months later, in January 1959.

Following her mother’s death, Eunice welcomed her youngest surviving brother, Paul, into her home and raised him as part of her own family. She continued caring for him until his death in 1965. Even in the midst of her own youth and grief, Eunice stepped forward to care for someone who needed her, revealing the strength, compassion, and selflessness that would guide her throughout the rest of her life.

On April 13, 1957, Eunice married Virgil Bjorge. Together, they had three sons: Kevin, Keith, and Kalen.

On May 16, 1987, she married Richard “Dick” Hepfel. Through their marriage, Eunice’s family grew to include three special daughters: Cheryl, Lorna, and Susan “Sue.” With three daughters and three sons joined together, the family affectionately and humorously became known as “The Crazy Bunch,” their own reverse version of The Brady Bunch.

Eunice commonly said, “I love you more.” She said it with such warmth and affection that she turned a simple exchange into something uniquely hers. Those words also capture the way she lived. Eunice expressed her love by caring for others, serving them, and making sure they knew they were loved.

She enjoyed cooking, but even more, she loved serving the people gathered around her table. Sitting still and resting did not come naturally to Eunice. Her family can hardly remember her sitting still. She was almost always busy, doing something with someone, doing something for someone, or finding something that needed to be done around the house.

That same spirit of service shaped the final 10-plus years of her professional life. As a classroom aide in the La Crescent-Hokah School District, Eunice worked with children with special needs. This was far more than a job to her. She genuinely loved these children and found deep meaning in caring for, encouraging, and helping them.

Her care extended beyond the school day. Eunice welcomed children with special needs into her home, providing extended care for them and respite for their families. She understood that caring for these children also meant supporting their parents. They held a special place in her heart, and she remained in close contact with some of them, particularly Brian and Janessa.

Wherever Eunice went, she seemed to bump into someone she knew, or someone she discovered she was related to. It was remarkable that a girl who began her education in a rural one-room schoolhouse came to know and connect with so many people, always extending love, care, and, yes, a moment or more of fun.

Eunice was preceded in death by her parents; all of her siblings; her first husband, Virgil Bjorge; her son, Kalen Bjorge; and her second husband, Richard “Dick” Hepfel.

She is survived by her children, Cheryl (Charles) Schaul of Salida, Colorado; Kevin Bjorge of Burnsville, Minnesota; Lorna (Tim) Gorny of Brainerd, Minnesota; Keith (Jackie) Bjorge of McHenry, Illinois; and Susan (Tom) Jandt of Onalaska, Wisconsin. She is also survived by her 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild expected in January 2027.

Eunice’s life will be remembered through the family she cherished, the children she encouraged, and the countless people who experienced her kindness.

She spent her life-giving love away, yet somehow those who knew her always felt they had received more than they could ever return. That was her gift.

And so, with grateful hearts, we say one final time, “Eunice, we love you.”

In the quiet moments, we can almost hear her loving reply, the words that expressed her heart, shaped her life, and will remain with us always:

“I love you more.”