Jimmy Sheppard Jr.

WADE - Jimmy Sheppard Jr., 73, of Wade, died Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012, in Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville. Mr. Sheppard was born Sept. 27, 1938, in Randolph County, Ala., the son of the late Jimmy Sheppard Sr. and Vurner Thompson Sheppard. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Louise Russell Sheppard; two brothers, Roger and Tommy Sheppard; a sister, Joyce Butler; and a grandaughter, Kelley Marie Smith. JIm Sheppard was an extremely patriotic and loyal soldier in service to his country. He enjoyed a long distinguished career in military intelligence, where he received numerous awards including the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star. He also served as branch chief at the U.S. Army Intelligence and Threat Analysis Center, specializing in imagery analysis, where he was credited with saving countless lives during Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield. He was a soldier to the core, who never gave up and never backed down. A graveside service will be held Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012, at 2 p.m. at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake with full military honors. He is survived by two sons, Jimmy Windell Sheppard of Wade, and Perry Nathan Sheppard of Fayetteville; two daughters, Lisa Clare MacQueen of Marysville, Wash., and Cindy Leigh Sheppard of Wade; three brothers, Ted Sheppard, Gerald Sheppard and Jack Sheppard, all of Alabama; two sisters, Nell Barrett and Diana Bailey, both of Alabama; and grandchildren, Colburn Alan Sheppard and Alicia Grace Sheppard. The family will receive friends Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cromartie, Miller & Lee Funerals & Cremations in Dunn. Though gruf, he was loving and very generous to his family and will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in honor of Jimmy Sheppard to the following charities: The American Red Cross; or New/Beginnings, P.O. Box 75125, Seattle, WA 98175, newbegin.org; or woundedwarriorpro ject.org. Condolences maybe made at cromartie-millerandlee.com.