Evelyne Anne Eppler

Evelyne Anne Eppler, known affectionately to all as "EA," passed away peacefully on February 16, 2026, following a brave journey with cancer. Born in El Paso, Texas, to Evelyn and Charles Eppler, EA’s lifelong nickname was coined by her brother Michael, who couldn’t quite master "Evelyne" as a child. She moved frequently growing up. Oklahoma City became home but she was forever Texan at heart. She attended Rosary Catholic School, Classen, and Bishop McGuinness, EA was famously social—a trait that frequently prompted phone calls to her mother from teachers who couldn’t get her to stop talking in class. When she wasn't chatting, she was lost in a book, usually with a cat, dog, or the occasional rescued squirrel or bird by her side. EA’s professional life was as diverse as her interests, ranging from selling fragrances at Foley’s to helping her husband, James Robert Dickey Jr., grow a successful consulting business. However, her true calling arrived later in life. A firm believer in second chances, she returned to OSU-OKC and UCO to become a drug and alcohol counselor, dedicating her career to supporting men in community corrections. A fierce activist and woman of faith, EA volunteered at the Peace House and was a devoted parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. She was defined by her whimsical style, her signature short hair, and a tenacious spirit that could charm her way out of any traffic ticket. Whether she was hosting a vibrant holiday party, tending to her patio pond, or cheering on her favorite football team, she did so with infectious charisma. In 2013, EA stepped into her favorite role yet: Grandmama. She excelled at every minute of it, pouring the same compassion and spunk into her grandchildren that she gave to the world. 

EA was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, George Edward, Paul Albert, Walter Eugene, and James Michael Philbin; and her husband, James Robert Dickey Jr. She is survived by her sister, Patricia Ann Smith; her daughter, Eve Coleen Dickey and partner Vernon Ryan Nix; her beloved grandchildren, Ivalyne Jean and Anthony Miles Nix; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends who will miss her stubborn, cheerful, feisty, and lion-hearted soul. 

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; 

where there is injury, pardon; 

where there is doubt, faith; 

where there is despair, hope; 

where there is darkness, light; 

where there is sadness, joy. 

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek 

to be consoled as to console, 

to be understood as to understand, 

to be loved as to love. 

For it is in giving that we receive, 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.