Charlotte Shepherd
March 27, 1935 — December 29, 2016
Charlotte Marie Shepherd was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on March 27, 1935, to Charles E. and Helen Marie (Goings) Foy. She grew up on a farm in Massena, Iowa, and graduated from Massena High School in1953. She furthered her education at the Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and graduated in 1955.
Charlotte settled in Villisca, Iowa, where she taught Kindergarten. It was there that she met and married Larry Shepherd on July 13, 1957. To this union four children were born: Douglas, Michael, Brenda, and Shawn. The family moved to Walnut, Iowa, where she taught for a couple of years before becoming the school secretary in 1969, a job she held for the next 32 years, retiring in 2001. Charlotte loved being the secretary at the school. She was very involved with the AFS chapter. Charlotte and Larry hosted four AFS students that became a part of their family, Mayumi, Japan; Fiona, New Zealand; Katia, Italy; and David, Czech Republic.
Family and sports were a very big part of Charlotte’s life from the early days of supporting Larry’s younger brother’s activities, and continued on to her own children and grandchildren’s activities. There was never an activity her children or grandchildren were involved in that Charlotte and Larry were not in the stands as their biggest supporters. They put many miles on their cars traveling to the kids’ activities, and on several occasions, even supporting more than one activity all in the same day. Charlotte was also an avid Nebraska Cornhusker fan and enjoyed going to football games with her family. Many times she would watch the games at the Union so one of her grandchildren could use her ticket. She loved to go shopping with her girls and was notorious for browsing at Barnes and Nobel and the Hallmark card shop, where she would read every card there.
Charlotte was active in the community and was a strong supporter of small town schools. She was also very active with her church in Walnut. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, American Legion and Auxiliary, Thursday Women’s Club, The Red Hat Society, Birthday Club, and Omaha Town Hall Lecture Series.
Charlotte passed away at Avoca Specialty Care surrounded by her loved ones on December 29, 2016, at the age of eighty-one years, nine months, and two days. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Harold and Bud Foy; and sister-in-law Cathy Hookham.
Charlotte is survived by her husband of fifty-nine years, Larry Shepherd of Walnut; children Doug Shepherd and his wife Susan of Walnut; Mike Shepherd of Walnut; Brenda and her husband Greg Samuelson of Clarinda, Iowa; and Shawn and her husband Larry Stoner of Grimes, Iowa; grandchildren, Katie and her husband Justin Fuller and their children Hailee and Brensyn of Clarinda; Kyle Shepherd of Sioux City, Iowa; Christian Samuelson of Indianapolis, Indiana; Kramer Samuelson of Lincoln, Nebraska; Aaron and Lindsay Stoner both of Grimes; a special cousin Beverly Pisarik of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; in-laws Carolyn and her husband Roger Hausen of Cortez, Colorado; David Shepherd and his wife Ruth Ann of Savannah, Missouri; Roger Shepherd and his wife Marsha of Villisca; Craig Shepherd and his wife Janet of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Jann and her husband Ron Almquist of Redondo Beach, California; and many nieces, nephews and their families, and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions should be directed to the family for a memorial fund to be established at a later date.
Charlotte settled in Villisca, Iowa, where she taught Kindergarten. It was there that she met and married Larry Shepherd on July 13, 1957. To this union four children were born: Douglas, Michael, Brenda, and Shawn. The family moved to Walnut, Iowa, where she taught for a couple of years before becoming the school secretary in 1969, a job she held for the next 32 years, retiring in 2001. Charlotte loved being the secretary at the school. She was very involved with the AFS chapter. Charlotte and Larry hosted four AFS students that became a part of their family, Mayumi, Japan; Fiona, New Zealand; Katia, Italy; and David, Czech Republic.
Family and sports were a very big part of Charlotte’s life from the early days of supporting Larry’s younger brother’s activities, and continued on to her own children and grandchildren’s activities. There was never an activity her children or grandchildren were involved in that Charlotte and Larry were not in the stands as their biggest supporters. They put many miles on their cars traveling to the kids’ activities, and on several occasions, even supporting more than one activity all in the same day. Charlotte was also an avid Nebraska Cornhusker fan and enjoyed going to football games with her family. Many times she would watch the games at the Union so one of her grandchildren could use her ticket. She loved to go shopping with her girls and was notorious for browsing at Barnes and Nobel and the Hallmark card shop, where she would read every card there.
Charlotte was active in the community and was a strong supporter of small town schools. She was also very active with her church in Walnut. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, American Legion and Auxiliary, Thursday Women’s Club, The Red Hat Society, Birthday Club, and Omaha Town Hall Lecture Series.
Charlotte passed away at Avoca Specialty Care surrounded by her loved ones on December 29, 2016, at the age of eighty-one years, nine months, and two days. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Harold and Bud Foy; and sister-in-law Cathy Hookham.
Charlotte is survived by her husband of fifty-nine years, Larry Shepherd of Walnut; children Doug Shepherd and his wife Susan of Walnut; Mike Shepherd of Walnut; Brenda and her husband Greg Samuelson of Clarinda, Iowa; and Shawn and her husband Larry Stoner of Grimes, Iowa; grandchildren, Katie and her husband Justin Fuller and their children Hailee and Brensyn of Clarinda; Kyle Shepherd of Sioux City, Iowa; Christian Samuelson of Indianapolis, Indiana; Kramer Samuelson of Lincoln, Nebraska; Aaron and Lindsay Stoner both of Grimes; a special cousin Beverly Pisarik of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; in-laws Carolyn and her husband Roger Hausen of Cortez, Colorado; David Shepherd and his wife Ruth Ann of Savannah, Missouri; Roger Shepherd and his wife Marsha of Villisca; Craig Shepherd and his wife Janet of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Jann and her husband Ron Almquist of Redondo Beach, California; and many nieces, nephews and their families, and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions should be directed to the family for a memorial fund to be established at a later date.
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