John Wilson Epling, Sr.

John Wilson Epling, Sr.—a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and proud veteran—passed away on May 22, 2026, at the age of 87.

Born in 1938 as the nation began to emerge from the Great Depression, John was raised primarily in Lynchburg, Virginia. His upbringing by hard-working, middle-class parents instilled in him a deep appreciation for family, lifelong friendships, and the values that would later define his robust public and private life. Some of his most treasured childhood memories were spent at his family’s cabin in Craig County, where he spent summers hiking with his .22 rifle along the finger ridges just below the Appalachian Trail.

As a teenager, John’s appetite for adventure and friendship occasionally took priority over his studies. In 1958, he elected to pause his education at Virginia Tech to enlist in the U.S. Army. His three years of peacetime service in Europe proved transformative; returning to Virginia Tech in 1961 with newfound focus and drive, John went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, followed swiftly by a Master’s degree from the university's newly established Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

It was during his college years that John met Bonnie Stainback, who was attending nearby Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. They married upon her graduation, embarking on a lively 55-year partnership dedicated to raising a family and improving their communities until Bonnie’s passing in 2019.

John’s professional career as an urban and regional planner was marked by visionary leadership and a ready embrace of complex civic challenges. After leading a series of regional planning districts, he furthered his education by completing a Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. His distinguished career culminated in 1986, when he was appointed to direct New Jersey’s inaugural Office of State Planning—making it the first heavily industrialized state in the nation to establish such an agency. The groundbreaking New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan he helped forge continues to shape the state's land use and sustainable growth to this day. Over his career, John received numerous professional accolades, capped by his prestigious selection as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP).

He is survived by his sister, M. Susan Epling of Huddleston, VA; his four children, John W. Epling Jr. (Cynthia Morrow) of Roanoke, VA, Cameron Osborne of Paeonian Springs, VA, Nathan Epling (Ashley) of Philomont, VA, and Adam Epling (Alicia) of Portland, OR; and his nine beloved grandchildren: Aaron, Rebecca, and Seth Epling; Catherine, Tristan, and Jane Osborne; and Hazel, Mary, and Dahlia Epling.