Dewitt T. "Shep" Shepherd, Jr.
Dewitt Talmadge "Shep" Shepherd, Jr., 82, of West Orange, lost his courageous battle with lung cancer on Thursday, August 12, 2010. He passed away peacefully at his long time residence with his family at his side.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, August 15, 2010, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend Mike Granger with the eulogy given by Mr. Don Finley. Entombment will follow at Orange Forest Lawn Cemetery in West Orange.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Shep was born in Doucette, Texas on December 20, 1927, the son of Goldie Mae Hanks Shepherd and Dewitt Talmadge Shepherd, Sr. and has been a resident of the Orange area since 1950.
He retired from DuPont Sabine River Works following 35 years of service, was a U.S. Army veteran and a member of McDonald Memorial Baptist Church in West Orange.
Shep was an avid athlete who excelled at every sport he attempted. He and his wife, Beth, could be seen almost daily walking or biking around West Orange, even during his cancer treatments.
Preceding him in death are his parents and five siblings. Left behind to cherish his memory and carry on his dedication to healthy living are his loving wife of 55 years, Beth; son, Michael Shepherd of Rio Rancho, New Mexico; daughter and son-in-law, Dana and James "Buck" Roberts of Orange and his grandsons, who were his pride and joy, Justin Roberts of Houston and Jacob Roberts of Austin. Shep is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and their children.
Serving as pallbearers will be his son-in-law and grandsons as well as his nephews, Charles Poindexter, Ronnie Poindexter, Donnie Poindexter, Roger Shepherd and Charles Rawls.
Honorary pallbearers will be John Hughes, J.D. Tuorilla, Rayford Jimerson, Pete Powell, Larry Welch and the deacons of McDonald Memorial Baptist Church, all of whom supported Shep through his fight with cancer.
The family wishes to acknowledge with grateful appreciation, Odyssey Hospice for their loving care and support of Shep during his final weeks.
In lieu of customary remembrances, memorials may be directed to McDonald Memorial Baptist Church Bus Fund, 2015 Sims, Orange, Texas 77630.