Rhema L. Shepardson

Athena "Rhema" L. (Howland) Shepardson, 83, of Windsor, formerly of South Meriden, beloved wife of over 65 years and best friend of Ivan "Stan" Shepardson, passed away unexpectedly, on Thursday, September 18, 2025, into the open and loving arms of her Savior, Jesus. Rhema was born on February 10, 1942, in Schenectady, New York, the oldest of three children of the late Roland and Scandera Howland. Rhema's life was defined by her deep love for God and her family. From the moment she had her first encounter with the Holy Spirit in her late 20's, Rhema's purpose in life was to help others experience God's love. She became a prolific writer, sharing her testimony through letters and books of the lessons that God taught her as He revealed Himself to her. She loved her Lord fiercely and relentlessly. She also loved her family just as fiercely. Her greatest joy was loving her husband and her family, giving of herself unselfishly, making sure her children and grandchildren were grounded in the Word of God, and creating lasting memories with them. Rhema had a love of anything and everything creative, from any type of craft to painting beautiful pictures. And she shared that love with her children and grandchildren, spending hours and hours with them creating a legacy of love and special times through the crafts. Additionally, God used her crafting in ministries with women throughout her life, teaching them life lessons and showing them how to experience God and His Love in many personal ways. Rhema would not want us to mourn her passing, but to celebrate her life, and that she's now rejoicing with God, dancing and praising in His Holy Presence. She is experiencing God's love in unimaginable ways, and her greatest wish was that each of you would know Jesus as Savoir and the infinite love of the Holy Spirit. In addition to her beloved Stan, Rhema leaves to cherish her memory her daughter, Kimberly Jager, and her son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Karen Shepardson, all of South Windsor; and her four cherished grandchildren, Matthew Jager of South Windsor, Erica Shepardson and her husband, Tim, and their daughter, Quinn, all of Coventry, Victoria Shepardson of Sandy, Utah, and Alexa Shepardson of South Windsor. Other family members include her brother and sister-in-law, John and Bev Howland of Fort Collins, Colorado, her sister, Debbie Colliander and her husband, John, of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, numerous nieces, nephews, and their families, and many wonderful friends and neighbors. All are welcome to join the family at the Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home, 419 Buckland Road, South Windsor, CT, 06074 on Thursday, September 25, 2025, for a calling hour from 11:00 am-12:00 pm with a service to begin at 12:00 pm at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery, 317 Bow Lane, Middletown, CT. 06457 on Friday, September 26, 2025, at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Church International at https://churchint.org/ To leave a condolence, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com