Lepp Music Scholarship

The story of the Lepp Music Scholarship actually began in 1925 when Emil Lepp emigrated from Germany to the United States to pursue a career as a chef. He had begun his career in Germany with an apprenticeship at age 14. After he came to the U.S. he held a number of chef positions at restaurants in New York and the Midwest before moving to Los Angeles in 1928. His resume included chef positions at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Paramount Studios and the Brown Derby, all before he was hired in 1936 as executive chef at the prestigious Hillcrest Country Club. He retired in 1969 as general manager of the country club. So as his career shows, he was successful both as a chef and as a businessman.

As he made his way in his career in America, the love of his life, Lilli Haedecke, who also had been born in Germany, joined him in America in 1930, and they were married. Together they built a modest home in West Los Angeles and lived there throughout their married life. Lilli was as good with a hammer and saw as Emil, perhaps better! They were active members of Lutheran Church of the Master in Los Angeles. Since Lilli never learned to drive a car, after Emil’s death in 1996 she walked wherever she needed to go, except on Sundays, when friends picked her up for church. The Lepps had one daughter, Kristina, and three grandchildren. Lilli passed away in 2009.

The Lepps were good Lutherans and took considerable interest in the startup of the new Lutheran college in Thousand Oaks. As they watched it grow, they also supported some of the capital projects, the campus chapel in particular. Lilli’s philosophy of Christian stewardship was that “giving while you’re living” was the best approach to philanthropy. Eventually, the couple decided they wanted their gifts to support students more directly. That was when the idea of a scholarship took root. They chose music as its focus “just because we love music.”

The Lepp Music Scholarship was designated for any music major enrolled in one of CLU’s degree programs at any level. The recipients of this scholarship missed out by not having the opportunity to meet this amazing couple.