Joe Paul Epton Jr. age 58 died peacefully Monday October 13 2008. His Funeral Service will be Friday October 17th at 10:00am at First United Methodist Church of Ormond Beach with Pastor Bill Owens officiating. Entombment will immediately follow at Daytona Memorial Park. His family will receive friends on Thursday October 16th from 5-8pm at Lohman Funeral Home Ormond. Joe was born to Joe and Juanita Epton on August 30 1950 in Spartanburg SC. His family moved to Daytona Beach FL and Joe graduated from Seabreeze HS class of 68. He attended Daytona Beach Community College and earned his BS degree from Newberry College. After college Joe began his banking career as a loan officer at Westside Atlantic Bank in Daytona Beach. His career in the banking industry grew from there and he held several vice president and branch manager positions with Coast Federal and Barnett Bank along with being President of First Florida Bank until 1998 when he became the founding Director and President/CEO of Coquina Bank. Coquina Bank ultimately merged with Royal Bank of Canada where Joe held the position of Board member and Community Executive. Joe's commitment to his community included serving as the President of the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce the Rotary Club of both Flagler Beach and Ormond Beach and Oceanside Country Club. He was a founding director and Board President of the Ormond Beach YMCA and was a former coach of both Daytona Beach Little League and the Halifax Area Babe Ruth League. Joe loved Stock Car racing and won his first race in the "kiddy division" at age 4 and for more than 10 years Joe raced at Barberville. Joe was more loved than any one person most of us have ever known. He had the wonderful gift of making everyone feel that you were his best friend. Always making us smile and laugh; Joe loved his family his friends and his extended banking family and entertained us all with renditions of "Mustang Sally" "My Girl" and "Stand By Me". He loved life - every day of it - and always did the right thing. He was comfortable anywhere and with anyone and made everyone feel special.
Joe is survived by his wife Peggy of 34 years his daughter and son in law Casey and Casey Epton Roush his mother Juanita Epton and his sister and brother in law Joan and Don Maxwell all of Ormond Beach. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Halifax Health-Herbert D. Kerman Center for Oncology in Ormond Beach 1688 W. Granada Blvd. Ormond Beach FL 32174.Condolences can be shared with the family at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond.