Harold Vernon Pepper, Cdr. USN (Ret) of East Haven, Conn., No. Branford, Conn., and San Diego — and father of Vineyard Haven resident James S. Pepper — has died. He was 89.

Cdr. Pepper served in the US Navy during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Metal with three stars. He retired after 25 years of service. Following his military career, he worked until retirement for Sikorsky Aircraft as Senior Marketing Analyst, and was the founder and owner of Pepper’s General Store for Animals in Guilford.

Born in San Diego, on Sept. 26, 1922, he was the son of the late Jacob Sebron and Alcia Fears Pepper.

He was the beloved husband of 67 years to Norma Lee Watts Pepper, loving father of sons Michael H. Pepper, and wife, Ann, of Pawling, NY, James S. Pepper and wife, Judy, of Vineyard Haven, and daughter Ann Page and husband, Stephen, of Guilford, Conn.. He is also survived by his sister, Shirley J. Brodhag of San Diego, and nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

He was predeceased by brothers, Wallace, Merrill, James and Herbert, and sisters, Ardele Minton and Mildred and Winifred Pepper.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at Saint George Church on Saturday, March 31, at 10 am.

Interment with military honors will take place at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, at a future date. Those wishing to remember Vern may do so through contributions to the San Diego Air and Space Museum, 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101, where he was a docent for several years, or the Zoological Society of San Diego, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112-0271.