DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... The world lost a good one last night, Rest Easy Mr. Shep

Man, I was shattered last night. An entire community from Brunswick VA, to Imperial PA was shattered. My old high school teacher, and more recently friend, passed unexpectedly last night. He was only 56 years old. He had just retired last year, and the most recent comments on his Facebook page were him describing how lucky he was to have had his life, while he was enjoying a family vacation with his daughters and wife.

Last week, he talked about how "life is grand" while picking up his dad and brother to go to a car show in the classic Thunderbird he just purchased.

No matter who it was, or what was needed, if you called Shep he was there in minutes to help you. It didn't matter if you hadn't talked or seen him in 15 years, if you had a relationship or not - he would show up, lend a hand and some advice.

This was a man that truly changed lives - and I don't say that much. I know he changed mine, and it took years for me to even know it.

He was a HUGE Steeler fan, and when I was in school, we would have friendly bets on the game. If the Browns won, I got to pick a free day for the class. If the Steelers won, I had to carry someone's books for the entire week for them. Needless to say, I carried a lot of books. Funny, that the person I had to carry books for was the girl I had a huge crush in school but never had the gull to ask out or talk too otherwise. Leave it to Shep to be a wingman without me even knowing it.

After I graduated, I went on with my life, as most kids do after High School. Only to years later reconnect on Facebook, and then again in real life shortly after that. Over the last few years, we had become friends. He truly was the type of person you look at and say "man, I need to be more like that". No matter where you went, someone yelled "Hey, Mr. Shephard"! He just knew everyone, and everyone wanted to be around him. Literally there are hundreds and hundreds of comments on his page right now; friends, former students, family - all stricken with grief over his passing.

Im not posting this for sympathy, his family deserves every ounce of that, as they truly are the ones that have suffered. He was a great husband, a great father, a wonderful teacher, and an amazing friend. I just cant believe he is gone. I just played a round of golf with him a few weeks ago, and had just messaged him to get together again, not knowing he was at the time in a coma from a brain hemorrhage. Its sad, his oldest daughter was just recently married, they have yet have children of their own, but he would talk about them while we golfed and would say he couldn't wait to be a pappy. Anytime he spoke of his wife or children, you literally could see his eyes light up. In the short time we reconnected, he taught me how precious life is - and how important your family and loved ones are. I never met a man that was more proud of his family.

The entire time I have known him, the Browns have been pathetic, and made sure to let me know! In school he would seek me out when we would get blown out, and make sure I was carrying someone's books, upholding our bet. I am truly saddened that I will not be able share some of that back now that the Browns are seemingly on pace to be a decent team. Browns/Steelers will be a hard game for me to watch this year, that is for sure.

Rest easy, my friend. I will check in on your family for you and hope that one day we can play another round together.

May he Rest In Peace... find my Samson and pet him for me.

My prayers go out to his family and friends in their time of grief.

I am just sick over it. Its not fair. Murderers, rapist, etc live long lives everyday. And someone so caring and thoughtful gets taken. Someone that dedicated their life to others, and spent every waking moment trying to help people in need, gets taken away from the community he served, and the family he loved.

Its. Not. Right.

Sorry for your loss bro ...

Sounds like a great guy and it is a shame that he passed away at such a young age. On the bright side, this man obviously was a positive influence on you and many others and his life will be celebrated for many more years.

Reading or hearing about stories such as this one never fails to make one consider his/her own mortality. When we depart this world, how do we want to be remembered? Do we want to be remembered for being a great citizen like Mr. Shep or do we want to be remembered as someone who was lacked character?

There are many things in life that we can't control, but we do have control over what type of person we are. It's never too late for one to live an honorable life.

56, Ugh. That's how old I am. Way too early for anyone to die.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and loved ones. May God comfort them, (and you) assuage their grief, and let them feel His peace even in this horribly difficult time.

Sorry for your loss prayers for his family ...

An understatement. Especially for someone so active and in good shape both physically and mentally.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”

- Charles Dickens

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss as well as his other friends and family. I had a teacher who impacted me the very much same way. He lived to be much older, but the impact was no less devastating. So I can certainly relate to your pain at this time.

Thank you. Even in his death, he is teaching me like he was standing in my 10th grade Social Studies room, telling me how bad the Browns are going to be this year. He has taught me that the little things are not worth getting upset about, but the little things are the most important in life. Holding your wifes hand as you watch the waves on the beach, or putting your arm around a friend who is having a hard time. Those little things, mean the world to someone.

RIP Mr Shep.

Hopefully all these great memories will help ease the pain for all involved. Sounds like he made the world a better place for a lot of people... In the end, there is no greater legacy.

That's a nice memorial you put together for him. Sounds like he definitely left the world a better place than it was when got here. That's really all we can ask.

Thanks for sharing and sorry for your loss. Sounds like a great man and influence

Sorry for your loss, he sounds like one of the good guys.

Sorry for the void left in your life.

R.I.P Shep

Thank you, and he was. I didn't realize until later in life we reconnected. In HS he was just my teacher, afterwards - I got to know the man, see the things he did for others, see the love he had for his family and friends. he would go out of his way just to have lunch with a former student he hadn't seen in 20 years. He once drove across 4 states, to pick up a former student he hadn't seen in 10 years, because they had posted they were stranded and had no way to get home after a job opportunity went sour. I asked him, "why would you drive 500 miles for someone you don't know?" He said, "he's my student, its my job." I said to him, "shep, he hasn't been your student for 10 years, you don't know him anymore". His simple reply was "once you are my student, you are my student forever. I remember his parents who have passed, they were good people. I couldn't live with them knowing I didn't try to help him."

That was the kind of guy Mr. Shephard was. He drove 500 miles, picked this guy up, and even set him up - let him stay in his house until he got a job and found an apartment for three weeks.

It sounds like it was an honor to know him. Sorry for your loss.

Sorry for you loss.

Sounds like a great man. Sorry for your loss.

J/C

The viewing and service are set for Saturday. This is going to be a hard one to go too. IDK if I can keep it together

You don't have to keep it together. No shame in that.