Richard Sw Shepard

09/26/1946 - 10/27/2025

Richard Satterlee Willis Shepard, known as Dick, died at home in McLean on October 27, 2025 from cancer and Parkinsons disease. Born in New York City, NY to the late Vallory Willis Shepard and Frank Parsons Shepard, he grew up in Greenwich, CT and graduated from St Paul's School in Concord, NH before earning a degree in history at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Dick then embarked on a lifetime of service to the nation, joining the US Marine Corps and serving as an artillery officer in Vietnam (1969-70); stateside, he was on the USMC Shooting Team, winning the national smallbore rifle championship in 1978. He spent more than 40 years at CIA, mentoring generations of analysts and operations officers working on South Asia and the Middle East. He wore his expertise lightly but shared it generously.

Dick is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Celia Conlon Shepard, and two children from his previous marriage to Margaret Addison Shepard. They are David Shepard (Eleanor) of Bethesda and Margaret Irons (Ned) of Washington. He delighted in his four grandchildren, Annie and Nell Shepard, and Will and Lane Irons, as well as his step-grandchild Teddy Irons. He is also survived by his sister, Katherine Shepard Graham (Arthur) of East Hampton NY and two brothers, Peter Shepard (Jane) of Harvard MA and Nathaniel Shepard of Kensington CT. Two nieces, three nephews, and a grandnephew also survive. A funeral service will be held at Christ Church Georgetown on December 8 at 11 a.m. His ashes will be inured in a columbarium at Arlington at a future date.