He was born March 28, 1930, at Erie a son of Lester and Elva V. Shepard. He was raised in Erie and graduated from the Erie High School in 1947. He then attended one year at Chanute Junior College and went on to Kansas State University and graduated in 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.
He served in the U.S. Army from November 1952 until Oct. 16, 1954, and then spent six years in the Reserves. While in the Army he was assigned to the Hanford Atomic Energy facility in the state of Washington where he was a radar repair technician. He continued to work there after his time in the service, working for General Electrical Co. He returned to Kansas in 1967 from Washington and enrolled at Pittsburg State College and received his teaching degree around 1968. He moved to Joplin where he taught freshman math and science for a year and a half. He then returned to Timber Lake at rural Erie and owned part interest in the lake and its business with Wayne and Eileen Harding. At that time he also taught junior high math and science in CUSD No. 101 at Erie. He moved to Erie in 1981 where he retired.
On Dec. 30, 1951, he married Peggy Harding at Erie. She preceded him in death on Jan. 8, 2006.
He was a member of the Erie Federated Church and was a lay leader. He was also active in other church activities. He was also a member of the George L. Hendricks Post 102, American Legion, and had served as commander. He enjoyed the outdoors, playing golf, hunting and collecting Indian artifacts.
Survivors include a brother, Louis Shepard of Overland Park; a sister, Helen Mekjian of Los Angeles; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Erie Federated Church. Burial will be in the Bethel Cemetery with military honors given by the George L. Hendricks Post 102, American Legion. Friends may call after 11 a.m. Thursday at the Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Erie.
Memorials are suggested to the Federated Church and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 182, Erie, KS 66733.
Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.
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