Eric C. Shephard

1963 - 2019

Eric C. Shephard, 56, of North Fayette Township, died Monday, August 26, 2019. A dedicated son, brother and uncle, loving husband, devoted father and proud father-in-law, he was born June 7, 1963, in Pittsburgh, a son of Alan and Sandra Wolff Shephard of Hickory.

Eric was a 1981 graduate of Fort Cherry High School. He then went on to graduate from West Virginia University with a bachelor's in education.

Mr. Shephard was a teacher at Brunswick County High School in Lawrenceville, Va., for nearly a decade. He returned to Pennsylvania to teach at Fort Cherry High School then West Allegheny High School for 21 years, where he retired in 2017 after teaching for more than 30 years.

Eric was an avid suburban farmer. He tended to bees, chickens, a horse and dogs. He loved gardening, especially peppers, and was a man of many trades. Eric was a passionate educator who truly loved his students. He coached tennis and mock trail at West Allegheny and tennis and track at Brunswick County High School in Virginia.

On October 25, 1986, he married Karen Lukan Shephard, who survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Brittney (Lane) Murphy of Coraopolis, and Holly Shephard of North Fayette Township; two brothers, Keith (Laura) Shephard of Upper St. Clair and Judd (Megan) Shephard of North Huntingdon; a sister, Samantha (Jeff) O'Donoghue of Canonsburg; and many nieces and nephews.

Deceased are maternal grandparents Judson and Louise Wolff; and paternal grandparents Lowry and Almeda Shephard.

A memorial gathering will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 31, immediately followed by a brief service, at Nation Funeral Home Inc., 220 E. Lincoln Avenue, McDonald, PA 15057. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Teach for America – Donations, P.O. Box 398305, San Francisco, CA 94139-8305.