Wade E. Sheppard, Jr. 76

Wade E. Sheppard, Jr., 76, of Fort Calhoun, died on Thursday, Aug.13, 1998, at Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha.

Services were Monday, Aug. 17, 1998, at Larkin Funeral Home Southwest Chapel in Omaha with the Rev. Eugene Loftis officiating.

Pallbearers were Russ Daly, Jim Daly, Michael Sheppard, Bret Sheppard, Chris Hardick and Richard Gehrig.

Burial was in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Omaha with military honors by American Legion Post 348 of Fort Calhoun.

Wade E. Sheppard was born Jan. 25, 1922, in Ralston to Wade Sr. and Luella Sheppard. He graduated from Omaha South High School in 1940.

He worked in the family business, Union Rubber Works in Ralston.

On Oct. 9, 1942, he entered the Army to serve in World War II. He fought in France, Germany and other European locations, as well as North Africa, where he received the Purple Heart in April of 1945. He received numerous other medals and numerous ribbons.

After his honorable discharge, he returned to Ralston and continued working in the family business.

He married Frances Cachelin of Fort Calhoun on Aug., 17, 1947, at Miller Park Presbyterian Church in Omaha.

The couple opened the Ralston Family Store in 1955. Later they bought the Sievers Grocery Store in Fort Calhoun, which they named Sheppard’s.

Because of their love for the outdoors, they started vegetable gardening and established K & S Gardens in Fort Calhoun.

In 1987, Mr. Sheppard retired as a mechanical engineer from Mutual of Omaha.

He also enjoyed woodworking.

He served as president of the Ralston Lion’s Club, was a member of the Ralston City Council and was a deacon of the Ralston Community Church. He served on the Washington County Veterans Board and was a member of American Legion Post 373 in Ralston before transferring to Post 343 in Fort Calhoun.

He is survived by his wife, Frances; one daughter and her husband, JoAnn and Russ Daly of Beaver Lake; two sons and their wives, Ed and Connie Sheppard of Malvern, Iowa and Robert and Barbara Sheppard of Fort Calhoun; grandchildren and their spouses: Jim and Cindy Daly, Corrie and Chris Hardick, Brent Sheppard, Dustin Sheppard, Carla Timm, Michelle Timm, Charlene Elsasser, Gabe Yocum, Michael Sheppard and Laura Sheppard, six great-grandchildren; one sister, Alta Mack of Omaha; one brother and sister-in-law, David and Carolyn Sheppard of Ralston; and several nieces and nephews.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

FindaGrave Memorial # 106362593