BLANDFORD – Donald Earl Shepard, 83, died on Friday, November 23, 2012. He was born on November 7, 1929 to Erwin A. Shepard and Gladys (Anderson) Shepard. He was a lifelong resident of Blandford.
Donnie was raised on the family farm on Shepard Road in Blandford where he learned about farming and “working in the woods” as his extended family included many lumbermen. After graduating from Westfield High School in 1948, he enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to the Signal Corps and trained to repair radio equipment. He was stationed in Japan, on Guam, and in California and Nevada during the Korean Conflict. After his honorable discharge in 1952, he returned to Blandford and worked in a variety of occupations over many years. A “jack-of-all-trades,” he was a mechanic, a welder, a truck driver, and a lumberman. He worked at O’Connor Lumber in Westfield as a planer operator; he was a truck driver for Atlantic Richfield Company in Springfield; he worked at Bannish Lumber in Chester; and he was a foreman at Peck Lumber Company in Westfield. He worked on the Blandford Highway Department for several years, and as a truck driver at the former Westinghouse Electric motor repair plant in Springfield and then as a truck driver for Lane Construction Co., from which he retired in 1993.
Donnie served the Town of Blandford in many capacities over the years. He served on the School Board, as town Moderator, as an Assessor for many years, and as Selectman. He was active in the American Legion Post 356 in Blandford, having served as post commander at one time. At the Blandford Fair, he announced all of the horse, oxen and pony draws for many years. He contributed to the construction of the new draw ring when it was moved to its current location in the late 70’s, and built the current scale house when the livestock scales were moved out of the large barn. He went on to serve as president and he was a director of the fair for many years.
He is survived by his two sons, Lance Shepard and his wife Linda, of Richmond, New Hampshire and Rylan Shepard and his wife Elizabeth of Blandford, and five grandchildren, Sydney Shepard and Seth Shepard of Winchester, Virginia, Christopher Gouws of Richmond, New Hampshire, Michelle MacDonald of Cibolo, Texas and Livia Shepard of Blandford. He was predeceased by his daughter, Belle Shepard, and by his brother, Arthur Shepard. He is also survived by his sister, Bertha Pease and her husband Donald; his brother, Robert Shepard and his wife Nancy, all of Blandford, and many cousins, nephews, and nieces.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday November 28th at 12:00 noon at the Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield, MA. The burial will follow in Hill Cemetery in Blandford. Calling hours will be held from 10:00-12:00 noon on Wednesday morning.
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