March 22, 1935 - Dec. 29, 2020
Larry Donald Shepherd, age 85 passed away December, 29 2020, in Tucson, Ariz.
Larry is survived by his wife Rebecca Shepherd, his sons; David (Maryann) Shepherd, of Tucson, Ariz.; Todd (Sheryl) Shepherd of Blair; Dennis (Anne)Shepherd of Louisville, Ky., and a daughter Sondra (James) Thompson of Blair; 10 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Glenda Ellis and numerous nieces and nephews.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents; Omer and Eva (Tefft) Shepherd, Wilma Dalrymple and Omer "Lee" Shepherd.
Larry was born March 22, 1935, in Hartford, Kan. He grew up and graduated high school in 1953 in Frankfort. He joined the Air Force and served his country as a staff sergeant during the Korean War at Larsen Air Force Base in Lake Moses, Wash.
While on leave, after 3 years in the service, he married Rebecca Kay Nordquist on Jan. 1, 1957. Larry attended Kansas State University and graduated with a B. S. in Business. He began his professional career in banking in Wichita, Kan. Banking and the Farm Credit System had them living in St, Louis, Mo., Gretna, Georgetown, Texas, Omaha, Honolulu, Hawaii, and then back to Omaha, where he retired. Shortly thereafter, he started River City leasing, grew it into a successful business before selling it to his largest customer and retiring one more time. For several years during retirement, Larry and Becky traveled a circuit of family and friends in their motorhome while maintaining a home in Vermillion, Kan. Later, they would retire to Green Valley, Ariz., where their backyard was the fairway on the first hole of Green Valley Country Club.
Larry enjoyed sports, whether it was playing football in high school and college, playing coed softball or following his alma mater basketball and football games. Camping, hunting, fishing, boating, water skiing, snow skiing, golf or any sport his children were involved in, Larry enjoyed them all. He was also active in the Optimist Club as well as other church and civic groups. If there was a need, Larry was there to help; this even led him to be Mayor of Vermillion, Kan., for a term.
A joint memorial service for Larry and his wife Becky (who passed away two weeks later) is being scheduled for Memorial Weekend 2021 in Frankfort, Kan.
