Obituary of Maude Sheppard

Maude Sheppard, beloved wife of Percy Sheppard, of Calgary passed away on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at the age of 84 years. Our darling Mum has left us with a void than can never be filled. Maude was born in Pembroke Dock, Wales to Norman and Kathleen Rees. She met Dad, her soul mate of sixty-nine years in Portsmouth, UK in 1938. She served in WWII in the ATS as a cook (Dad still isn’t sure which side she was on). Married in 1943, Mum and Dad had Diane (Roy) followed by a son Clifford (deceased) and Kathyrn (Norm). They immigrated to Canada in 1975 to be with their daughters and grandchildren, Mark (Dorothy) and Laura. 1981 brought an unexpected surprise in the way of another granddaughter, Sarah, the first generation born in Canada and mum was overjoyed again when she became a great-grandmother to Brittany and Brandon. Mum always baked and decorated the family wedding cakes throughout the years and her cooking was unsurpassed. She left us also with many beautiful knitted and crocheted family heirlooms. In 1997 the entire family went to Disneyland and another wonderful memory packed vacation. November, 2002 brought devastating news, cancer. She fought bravely and with humour. In 2003 we visited Portsmouth and relived the past with mum and dad. We stayed in her beloved New Forest and had cream teas and visited with all the family. That same year Mum and Dad celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary and the following year their last trip to Hawaii. October, 2006, the “icing on the cake”, her youngest grandchild Sarah married her sweetheart, Chris. In March of 2007, Sandra and Kevin came out from the UK to say goodbye to their aunty Maude. Left behind to also mourn her loss is her good friend Marj and old friends Vic, Hilda, Pauline, Valerie, John and their daughter Sarah in New Zealand as well as numerous other family in the UK. She will also be missed by her beloved cats, Wilbur and Spycer. A special thank you to the Agape Hospice. Their unwavering love and support made the last several months an incredible journey of compassion, caring and dignity. The Last Rose A Red petal dropped from the last crimson rose-and it seemed that the sky turned to grey-as round the old garden the sad whisper went “The summer has ended today”. A bird voiced its grief from the gloom of the hedge as the petals fell down on the grass-a shuddering sigh shook the tattered old tree with the knowledge that Beauty must pass” But the death of a rose cannot shatter our faith-Nature works in mysterious ways-for the roses must die to awaken again in the glory of Blue summer days. And so when the summer of living is spent-should we tremble in Autumn’s cold breath? If Nature insists on decay and rebirth-Need we fear the change men have called Death? Patience Strong. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Agapé Hospice, 1302 – 8 Avenue N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1B8 Telephone: (403) 282-6588 or to any animal society. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In living memory of Maude Sheppard, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH Telephone: (403) 276-2296.