Obituary – Leander Sheppard, 84

October 8th, 1924 – June 30th, 2009

Funeral services were held in Springdale, Nfld. on July 7, 2009 for the late Leander Sheppard of Sheppardville, Newfoundland. Leander was the first of nine children born to Carrie and Robert Sheppard of Botwood. He finished school early to help his father support the family by working in the sawmill business, and as a young man worked unloading coal ships in Botwood Harbour. At the age of 23 he met and married his soul mate, Lucille Gillard of Gillard’s Cove/Twillingate. Over the next 20 years they had sixteen children, thirteen sons & three daughters. In 1964 Leander moved his family to Birchy Ridge in Central Newfoundland where he and his four brothers started the Sheppard Brothers Logging Company. In the early stages they used a horse and sled to haul their logs to the mill. During these years Leander worked as a truck driver for the logging company, delivering pulpwood and lumber to various places. As each of the Sheppard families had grown in leaps and bounds, when electricity was brought to the community, it became known as Sheppardville. Leander eventually started his own company called Valley Logging which provided employment for his sons and others in the community and surrounding areas. Leander always made sure his children were at school and transported them there as well as the other kids from the community by driving the school bus. Throughout his life Leander worked hard to provide for his family. Together, he and Lucille taught their children about love, respect, and how to be resourceful. They were faithful members of the Pentecostal Church in Springdale and the children have memories of their parents gathering them around the bed to say the Lord’s Prayer each morning and reading the Bible to them. As their children settled in various communities across Canada, it provided opportunities for Lee and Lucy to travel and enjoy many happy adventures with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Leander also loved his times at the cabin he built at Port Anson and getting out on his boat to do some fishing. After having heart surgery in St. Johns, he took up oil painting which he thoroughly enjoyed, and each of his children are proud to have his original artwork depicting mainly mountain and lake landscapes. He spent his final morning working with Lucille in the garden, still working hard at 84, and still making plans for their future. Leander was predeceased by his parents Robert and Carrie Sheppard, his brothers, Allan and Hutley, his sister Elsie, and his daughter-in-law, Julia. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Lucille, his children and their families: Calvin, Edward (Denise), Nelson (Lorraine), Lloyd (Loretta), Daphne (Reg), Ethel (Al), Eugene (Marcy), Gilbert, Ted (Ofelia), Don (Brenda), Dennis (Rose), Eric (Judy), Bruce (Michele), Angela (Perry), Hayward (Kelly), Norm (Rose), 32 grandchildren, and 31 great-grandchildren, and all who knew him. ‘Nearer, my God, to Thee’.

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