News : 4-H loses long-time friend with death of George \'Albert\' Hepker

The Benton County 4-H program has lost one of its best and oldest friends.

George Hepker, who was known to most as Albert, died Tuesday following complications of open heart surgery. He was 79.

Inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2003, Albert had joined 4-H at the age of 13 in 1949. He was the leader of Polk 101 for 30 years, from 1966 until retiring from that position in 1996. In his first decade, that club quadrupled in sized from 12 to 48 members. Albert was well-known in Benton County for the time he spent as a leader at the fairgrounds. He would stay around-the-clock at the fairgrounds for the duration of Fair each year- day and night- to be available for any questions or concerns that anyone may have. He missed only one day out of the 30 years of Benton County Fairs, and that absence was due to a family illness.

"He was a very good friend of mine since we were little kids," says Jerry Cook of Urbana. Cook recalls the day Albert went to Des Moines to receive an award from the Governor for all of his volunteer work.

Another long-time friend with many memories is Gary Benson.

"I worked with the guy for many years at Iowa Manufacturing," says Benson. "He worked every hour he could."

Along with his 40+years at Iowa Man, as workers there call it, Albert spent decades on the Urbana Fire Department as well as 4-H, says Benson. He also loved the hunting trips each fall that he took with Benson and others.

"He was a pretty good guy," he said.

In 2003, Albert was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame.