He was born on the farm and died on the farm, but that didn't mean he never left.  Ivan W. Pieper was born September 24, 1931 on the family farm in rural Pearl City.  He was the son of Alvin and Lucille (Schlafer) Pieper. He died there on July 16, 2018.

Ivan graduated from Pearl City High School in 1949.  He was a FFA Star Farmer and American Farmer.  He married Darlene Kahly on August 10, 1957.  She died on January 16, 2017.

Ivan began farming in High School and milked cows, raised hogs, as well as raised corn, soybeans and hay.  He enjoyed traveling and he and his wife traveled to almost all 50 states and Europe (several times), Australia, Jamaica, Nova Scotia, Panama Canal, Costa Rica and more.  He began hunting at age 10 and made his first trip "out west" to hunt in 1949. He did many trips alone but also took his wife with him several times and went with family and friends.  He shot many deer, elk, antelope, big horn sheep, buffalo, bear, moose, prairie dogs, coyotes, pheasants, turkeys and other small game. His last trip "out west" was alone "to see the fall colors and mountains one last time" and to see a friend in Wyoming in October, 2016, which he did without a cell phone or map.  He joined Pearl City Lions Club in 1959 and had perfect attendance for over 55 years and held every office including chairmen of the homecoming. He became a Melvin Jones Fellow in 1994.  He shot trap and skeet sporting clay regularly and was the guy to beat and taught many folks about guns and shooting. He enjoyed coffee regularly at Little John's.

He will be missed by his daughters and families: Linda (Jim) Werkheiser, Lena, IL and Janice (John) Hughes, Garland, TX; grandchildren, Jessie (Dan) Hogan, Jacob (Stacy) Werkheiser, Valerie Worrall, Catherine Worrall, Andrew (Alicia) Worrall; and great-grandchildren, Samuel Worrall, Danica Hogan, and Darcy Hogan.  He is also survived by his sister Carolyn (Lyle) Bremmer, Shannon.  He was proceeded in death by his parents and wife.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 19, 2018 at Hermann Funeral Home in Pearl City, IL. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Friday, July 20, 2018 at the funeral home. Interment will take place at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Freeport, IL. A memorial fund has been established for the Pearl City Lions Club.