Raylene Shepard

Raylene Shepard (Pohia)

A Farewell to Raylene Shepard (Pohia): A Life Lived Loudly.

Raylene passed away on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at Carefree Living in Buhl. A lottery lady went before she won the big one, certainly not for lack of trying.

She was born in Butte, Montana, and grew up in Virginia, Minnesota. She worked as a teller for Northwest Bank (later known as Wells Fargo) and with her strong work ethic and quick thinking, she was able to work her way up the chain of command, holding various upper management positions, and retired from Minneapolis after 31 years of service.

Raylene was known for her wit and fun personality. She liked to make people laugh and was willing to go above and beyond to do so. Her home was often filled with the sounds of her lifelong idol, Elvis Presley, and his shrine took up more than just a corner of her home.

She considered herself a jack of all trades, master of none, but to anyone who knew her, she was handy and more capable at house projects and crafts than most, and had a garage full of well-loved tools to prove it.

She enjoyed life and lived every moment to its fullest. She enjoyed being around people, collecting treasures, dragonflies loved her country, and was an avid Vikings fan (she is still waiting for a Super Bowl win). A woman of boundless energy and a zest for life, Raylene truly embraced the philosophy of giving everything a try. She lived a life rich in humor, adventure, and love, leaving a legacy of courage and joy for all who knew her.

Raylene's adventurous spirit led her to become a devoted world traveler. Her favorite trips were traveling to Scotland and Australia with her nieces and visiting her sons in Montana. Her final years made brighter by her fury companion, Peanut. She was blessed to have him come into her life.

She is survived by her two sisters, Michelle Dallas and Lani Federovich , and one brother, Wayne Pohia; nieces, Jessie, Steph, and Amy; and nephew Preston; her sons, Roger (Holly) Pohia, Ryan Pohia, and Garrett (Jack) Hoskins; her grandchildren, Chloe, Shade, Zada, Ethan, Ian, and Isaiah, cousin, Renee Rajala and numerous other family across the Iron Range and Montana.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Doris Federovitch and Raymond Pohia, and various family members.

The family is planning to host a celebration in Mountain Iron, Minnesota in early June to honor her life and birthday. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you simply raise a glass or make a donation to your local animal shelter or to support our veterans.

Arrangements are with the Landmark Funeral Home in Virginia.