William Shepherd Jr.

Family-Placed Death Notice

SHEPHERD, William WILLIAM CLYDE SHEPHERD, JR. William Clyde Shepherd, Jr., a long time resident of DeKalb County, died Friday, June 18, 2010, at age ninety-six. He was born on May 1, 1914, in Atlanta, at the home of his parents, Clyde and Mabel Shepherd. He was the oldest of six children, three brothers -- Charles, Dan and Harold and two sisters - Elizabeth and Margaret. His father operated a dairy farm in the area of Atlanta now known as Morningside. Later Clyde's father started a road building company, Shepherd Construction Company, and Clyde and his siblings grew up in the construction business. Clyde Shepherd graduated from Druid Hills High School in 1931 and studied civil engineering at Georgia Tech. He then worked full time with his father's construction business building roads in Georgia and other states. During World War II, Clyde and his father worked on the Navy blimp base at Brunswick, Georgia, four blimp bases in Brazil, and an air strip in Guatemala. In 1945 Shepherd Construction Company worked on a new air base in the Azores. After the end of World War II, Clyde Shepherd continued to work overseas, building air bases in Libya and Greenland. He also worked on a major project in Saudi Arabia in the mid-seventies. Clyde has many international friendships and a keen interest in and appreciation of other cultures. He has friends in Brazil, Europe and the Orient. He has served as the recognized goodwill ambassador to the Chinese community in Atlanta. In addition to the highway and heavy construction business, Clyde Shepherd was a real estate and shopping center developer and manager. In 1956, he built Toco Hill Shopping Center, still an Atlanta landmark, and subsequently developed five other shopping centers. In 1974 Clyde was a founding director of Fidelity National Bank (now Fidelity Bank). He served on the Board of Trustees for Grady Hospital for twenty-two years, and on the DeKalb Development Authority for many years where he was involved in bringing new industrial businesses to his beloved DeKalb County. He served as President of the National Asphalt Paving Association and Georgians for Better Transportation. In 2002 Clyde was named Mr. DeKalb County by the American Heart Association. Clyde Shepherd was a dedicated and long time supporter of Georgia Tech and of the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Later in life he made a valiant effort to overcome the side effects of a stroke in order to spend more years with his grandsons. He enjoyed telling his grandsons stories of his youth, career and travels. Clyde was married to Mary Upchurch of Thomasville, Georgia, who predeceased him. He is survived by his son, William Clyde Shepherd, III, and daughter-in-law, Rebecca Shaw Shepherd, two grandsons, William Clyde Shaw Shepherd and George Shaw Shepherd, and his brother Harold Shepherd and wife Alana and by numerous nieces and nephews. Clyde Shepherd was a tower of strength for his friends and family, made wise decisions and lived his life with dignity and compassion for others. Funeral arrangements are being handled by A. S. Turner & Sons, Decatur, Georgia with services planned for Sunday, June 20 at 3:00 PM at Clairmont Presbyterian Church, 1994 Clairmont Road, Decatur, Georgia. The family will receive friends afterwards in the Fellowship Hall of the Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that if you wish to make a donation in memory of William Clyde Shepherd, Jr., please contribute to the Shepherd Center or Clairmont Presbyterian Church.