Robert Shepard Obituary

Name: Viewing for Robert Shepard
Start: 2021-01-13T18:00:00.000Z
Location: Funeraria La Paz

Robert 'Bob' Shepard
March 13, 1932 - December 28, 2020
Valley Center
Robert "Bob" Shepard passed away in San Diego, California, of natural causes. He was born to Eugene and Mahalia Rebecca (Sisk) Shepard in St. Joseph, Mo. He married Phyllis Bannister in San Diego, Calif., on June 15, 1970. Bob served in the Marines as a Sergeant during the Korean war. Recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star and a Purple Heart; survivor of Heartbreak Ridge in Korea.

Following his military service, he was an owner/operator for Allied Van Lines in California, Texas and Hawaii. Bob owned Ace Van & Storage and had warehouses throughout California and Hawaii. He enjoyed horse racing and owned over 200 horses.

Best known for his record breaking horse, Dixie Poker Ace, who still has track records at Louisiana Downs. He is survived by his children; Tony Dominguez, Cathy Renshaw, Robert Long, Tom Shepard, David Napierskie, Kim Long and Tiffany Shepard.Funeral services will be January 13th, 2021 at Funeraria La Paz, 240 S Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025. Viewing at 10:00am, Service at 11:00am.Military services will be at Miramar National Cemetery at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Southern California Thoroughbred Rescue, a 501(c)(3) Charity (http://sctbrescue.org/).

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Diego Union-Tribune on Jan. 12, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Shepard

2 Entries

Len Pellman

February 12, 2024

I was deeply saddened to stumble across this today. Bob was a business partner and collaborator of mine from 1973 until I moved to Colorado in 1994. We co-owned a couple thoroughbreds and Mapac, Inc.

Some of the best times of my life were spent with Bob and his family. I spent nearly every Thanksgiving and Christmas with Bob and Phyllis and I even dated one of his step-daughters (Connie) briefly.

He was more than a partner. He was also a mentor and most of all, a friend.

Doug Evans

January 12, 2021

It's a sad day for friends of Bob Shepard.

I first met Bob in June of 2007, after having moved to San Diego from the Bay Area. Touring the Gaslamp looking for a nice place to eat, I took a seat at the bar at Blue Point - one of Leslie and David Cohn's restaurants. It turns out that I was sitting in the wrong seat. I discovered this when an older guy stood behind me, and in a gruff voice said, "That's my seat." Okay, fine. He was polite but direct. I took a seat next to him, and talked non-stop for the next hour. This was Bob Shepard, and the seat in question was the corner seat at the end of the bar.

For most Friday evenings, and for the next ten+ years, I sat at the Blue Point bar and ordered dinner and drinks, and learned more and more about this fascinating man. The Cohns, the restaurant's General Manager, various managers, and all of the servers and bartenders at Blue Point would invariably stop by Bob's corner seat at the bar to come say hi. Other regulars, like Cathy and Ken, would do the same. If the visitor was male, Bob would make a quick joke, or talk about a horse race. If the person was female, then of course, Bob flirted.

He shared stories of his time in Korea during the war. I learned that he was a decorated Marine. I related that my father, who was Bob's age, was also in the war at that time, although in the Army. When I shared stories of my time in the US Navy, aboard a ship in Pearl Harbor, and at shore stations here in San Diego, I found out that when I transferred from Hawaii to California, it was Bob's company that shipped my household goods and my car. Wow, what a coincidence.

Bob eventually stopped going to Blue Point, due to changes in personnel, especially bartenders, and of course Blue Point eventually closed - even though this was pre-pandemic. He haunted Salvatore's regularly instead, and I joined him there on a number of occasions.

Bob had regular habits, which means that due to his Marine Corps background and his get-it-done personality, he could be counted on. I knew Bob as an acquaintance I could count on, if needed.

At least I could count on Bob's stories and personality on any given Friday evening in the Gaslamp!

My best wishes to Bob's family.

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