Obituary: Shepard, Mary C.
Age 80
Mary Shepard rested peacefully during her final days surrounded by her loving husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Sadly, in the late evening of February 8, 2016, while holding her husband’s hand and listening to the story of their honeymoon trip, Mary slipped quietly into the loving arms of our Lord at the age of 80.
Mary Claire Day was born on December 10, 1935 to James and Winnifred Day at St. Lukes Hospital in Spokane, attended St. Francis of Assisi grade school and graduated from Holy Names Academy in 1953.
After spending a brief time as a Novitiate Sister at Marylhurst, Portland, Mary decided this was not the life God had intended for her.
Mary returned to Spokane and began work at the Gonzaga University library.
It was there that Mary met a Gonzaga student who was to become the love of her life.
Theodore Shepard and Mary were married on June 1, 1957.
Mary was a loving and dedicated mother to the six children born over the next eleven years.
In 1968 Mary and Ted moved from Spokane to a little five acre farm in Otis Orchards.
The children will always remember Mary leading the family in canning and freezing hundreds of quarts of fruits and vegetables, making sure we had dinner around the table every night, and the aroma of fresh baked bread.
In 1972, after taking an accounting class, Mary discovered her love for numbers and began a successful career in bookkeeping.
Mary worked for various small businesses but found a position she loved as bookkeeper and office manager for a law firm.
Mary was very proud of the fact that when she finally retired she was replaced by a CPA.
Mary and Ted retired in 1992 and spent the next 20 years spoiling grandchildren, traveling, working in their garden, and volunteering time to Meals on Wheels and in St. Joseph parish.
Mary also dove headfirst into genealogy research.
One trip Mary and Ted took was a 10,000 mile “Discovery Journey” across the United States visiting many of the cemeteries where Mary’s ancestors were buried.
Mary and Ted were also able to visit Ireland and stand at Galloway Bay, the departure spot for many of Mary’s ancestors as they immigrated to the United States.
Mary is survived by her husband Theodore; a brother Joseph (Leslie) Day; her six children: Christine (Mike) Cavanaugh, Catherine (John) Biersner, Ann (Jim) Cooper, Theodore Jr. (Anita), James (Beth) and Patricia (Rob) Scheffer; fifteen grandchildren: Jeremy (Allie) Johnson, Erin (Gilbert) Castillo, Eric, Kevin and Sarah Biersner, Jimmy and Johnny Sweeney, Ryan Tibbets, Brian Cooper, Brianna Lemarr, Jessica (Chris )Walker, Heidi and Nicholas Shepard, Ethan and Meghan Scheffer; and five great-grandchildren.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents and one great-grandchild.
The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the staff at the Craftsman House at Guardian Angel.
Kim, Jamie, Reggie, Kaylee, Jaq, and Allison and all others - you provided loving support and care, not only to Mary, but to the whole family.
The family would also like to thank Hospice of Spokane for all of the support and guidance in Mary’s final weeks.
Vigil services will be Monday, February 15, 2016 at 7:00pm and will take place at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 4521 N. Arden Rd., Otis Orchards, WA.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at 10:00am also at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Interment will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, 17825 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley, WA.
Arrangements have been entrusted to: