Members
Inductee
HEPLER, ROBERT J.
HEPLER, ROBERT J.
Born on April 28, 1930
South Bend
June 17, 1999.
Inducted On
August 5, 1989
Location Inducted
South Bend, IN
Region Number
2
Sb Central
Merit - Official
South Bend Central
1948
Starting tackle on undefeated 1945 team and 1946 State Champions; was Northern Indiana Conference heavyweight wrestling champion 1948.
Wabash College 1952; Notre Dame Law School 1955
1952
Played tackle and earned All-State on 1951 undefeated team.
An attorney with Hepler, Saunders, Barker, and Cobus Law Firm and a 33 Degree Mason; received the Russell D. Oliver Memorial Award 1987; DeMolay Dad of the Year 1966; served on Imperial Shrine Athletic Committee that governed annual Shrine Bowl Football Game; awarded Sagamore of Wabash by Governor Robert Orr in 1981.
Wife, Martha; children, Susan and Robert, Jr.; 5 grandchildren.
Merit Contributor - Official: As a football official, worked the high school, then moved to collegiate work from the Indiana Conference to the Mid America Conference, and then to the Big Ten; officiated a total of 23 years.
Officiating Honors: He and his crew won assignments to many notable games, including several Notre Dame - Southern California games and Notre Dame - Michigan State contests; most famous game worked was what has been called by many as the game of the Century in 1966 with score of 10-10 in East Lansing between U of ND and MSU; officiated 1967 Rose Bowl classic between Ohio State and Stanford; served as an observer of officials for the Big Ten Commissioner’s office for 15 years.
Officiating Honors: He and his crew won assignments to many notable games, including several Notre Dame - Southern California games and Notre Dame - Michigan State contests; most famous game worked was what has been called by many as the game of the Century in 1966 with score of 10-10 in East Lansing between U of ND and MSU; officiated 1967 Rose Bowl classic between Ohio State and Stanford; served as an observer of officials for the Big Ten Commissioner’s office for 15 years.
