Bernard Edward Epton (August 25, 1921 – December 13, 1987[1]) was an American politician who served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983.

[5] Epton served as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, eventually reaching the rank of Captain.

He was part of the Eighth Air Force, which conducted a strategic bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe and Nazi Germany.

[16] In 1947, Bernard was part the Draft Eisenhower movement and co-founded a non-profit with Joseph A. Moller, an executive at Pure Oil Co. and a World War II pilot and veteran, and Harry G. Johnson.

[17] During this time Epton was president of the Illinois Republican Veterans League which started after World War I and they had collected 3,500 signatures and $16,000 in donations as campaign funds.

Bohling, who later become a Cook County circuit judge, held the alderman position from 1943 to 1971, believed to be the longest tenure for a Republican in the Chicago City Council.

[27] In turn Epton then filed a $500,000 libel suit against Vail and his campaign manager Ambrose P. Finn for making false accusations regarding the funds.

[32] A resident of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Epton ran against the liberal African American Democrat Harold Washington in the mayoral election in the spring of 1983.