John David Sheppard

Passed away Thursday, October 15, 2015 at the age of 83. He was born January 25, 1932 in Springfield, MO to the late Donald and Helen (St. John) Sheppard. John was married to his best friend and girlfriend, Margaret, on August 16, 1958. He grew up in Springfield and Columbia, Missouri where he developed his love of photography, education, and tinkering with things. After graduating from Hickman High School in Columbia in 1950, he enrolled in the University of Missouri where he was awarded his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (1954), Master of Arts in Accounting (1958), and Doctor of Philosophy (1970). John's love of accounting led him to a career in higher education starting at University of Missouri in 1957, Ohio University, and culminating as an Associate Professor of Accountancy at Western Michigan University, Haworth College of Business where he retired in 1990 after 25 years. As an undergraduate at University of Missouri, John was part of the US Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and served on active duty from 1954 to 1957. He transitioned to the US Air Force Reserve in 1957 and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1984. John held a number of posts in a variety of Accounting-related professional and academic organizations in the southwest Michigan area as well as supporting many church, scouting and swimming organizations where his children were active. Never one to sit still, John enjoyed, building things, appraising properties with Appraisal Associates, visiting and traveling with his children around the world, taking his grandchildren to numerous minor and major league baseball parks, and chasing Western's Solar Sunseeker team.

John is survived by his wife and girlfriend, Margaret; children, Deborah (Stephen) Shepherd, Brian (Kelly), W. Eric (Nancy) and Laura (Tammy); grandchildren, Adria, Matthew (Halle), Benjamin, Alicia (Jason), Ian, Devlin, Gabrielle, Jordan, and Riley; great-grandchildren, Sloane, Lily, and Zoey, brothers-in-law Claude Harris and John (Mary) Kennedy, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Betsy Wilhite and Mary Margaret Acker and sister-in-law Betty Harris.

Visitation is scheduled from 5 to 8 PM October 22, 2015 and a memorial service at 11 AM October 23, 2015 at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Chapel, 411 East Centre Ave. Please visit John's personalized web page at www.langelands.com to sign the on-line guest book or leave a message for the family. John's ashes will be interned at a later time by his family.

In-lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Ministry with Community, 440 N. Church St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3326, (269) 343-6073 ext. 19 or the Department of Accountancy, Haworth College of Business, Western Michigan University, with checks payable to WMU Foundation or a charity of one's choice.

The family deeply appreciates the care of Dr. Alphonse DeLucia III and all the other members of the medical teams at Bronson Medical Center and Borgess-Pipp Hospital. They gave us the gift of extra time with our husband, father, and grandfather.

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Visitation

OCT 22. 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Langeland Family Funeral Homes - Portage Chapel
411 East Centre Ave
Portage, MI, US, 49002

Memorial Service

OCT 23. 11:00 AM

Langeland Family Funeral Homes - Portage Chapel
411 East Centre Ave
Portage, MI, US, 49002