Sally Elaine Shepard

Sally Elaine Shepard passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 27, 2010, just three weeks shy of her 88th birthday. Shepard, a longtime resident of Santa Rosa, had been living in Denver since last March. She died after a brief illness and was surrounded by her family. Sally was born December 16, 1922, in West Union, Iowa. She was the youngest of four children of Edgar and Elsie Wykle. Her father was a Presbyterian minister and her mother a homemaker. She grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1940. During her senior year of high school, she met Floyd Shepard at a dance. They began dating, and she followed him to Los Angeles, California, in 1941. They were married shortly thereafter. In 1944, she gave birth to a son, Richard Keith Shepard. Sally and her son lived in Los Angeles until 1955 when they relocated to Denver. Shortly after her son's college graduation in 1967, Sally moved to Northern California to be closer to her brother and sisters. She eventually settled in Santa Rosa and lived there for more than 40 years. She returned to Denver this past year to be near her son and his family. Sally had many interests and talents. She excelled at accounting and worked for many large construction companies. In the 10 years leading up to her retirement in 1984, she was an assistant to popular District Attorney Gene Tunney in Sonoma County. She was active in numerous organizations, including the Republican Women of Sonoma County and the Sonoma County Association of Retired Employees, among others. She treasured her friends and was in a monthly birthday lunch club and a weekly pinochle club. One of her favorite hobbies was crocheting, and over the years she made beautiful afghans for family and friends. Always the adventurer, Sally traveled to such exotic places as Hong Kong, Kauai and Mexico. In 1990, she returned to Cedar Rapids for her 50th high school reunion and kept in touch with many of her high school friends. And she always looked forward to her annual trip to Denver for Christmas. Sally was active until the final weeks of her life. She loved walking and exploring her new neighborhood. She attended a couple of Colorado Rockies' games this past season and even attended her great grandson's football game in October. Her endless energy and zest for life will be forever missed. Sally is survived by her son, Richard, and daughter-in-law Rita Shepard of Arvada, Colorado; grandson, Eric Shepard of Los Angeles; granddaughter, Kristie Peterson; and great grandchildren, Jack and Jeremy Peterson of Littleton, Colorado; and sister, Corah Yilek, of Browns Valley, California. Funeral service will be held Thursday, December 2nd at 1:00 p.m. at Crown Hill Funeral Home Pavilion of Reflection, interment Crown Hill Cemetery located in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Condolences may be offered at: www.CrownHillFuneral.com.