John Richard SHEPARD

SHEPARD, MACGUIRE, GONZALEZ, PALEOLOGUS, VAN DEN ELSEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/21/2010 at 02:13:53

June 25, 1923 -- November 5, 2010

John Richard "Jack" Shepard, age 87, Pompano Beach, FL, died on November 5, 2010, at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He was the third son born to Hugh and Gladys (MacGuire) Shepard on June 25th, 1923 in Mason City, Iowa. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1940. Jack spent two years at the University of Iowa before enrolling in the V-12 training course for marines at Purdue University. While at Purdue and the University of Iowa, he won the Big 10 wrestling championship in the 165 pound class. He was assigned to active duty during World War II in Okinawa, Saipan, and the South Pacific theatre as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He often expressed that one of his greatest honors was to have served his country as a Marine. Following an honorable discharge, Jack returned to the University of Iowa where he received his Bachelor of Arts and Master's degrees in Hospital Administration. While attending the University of Iowa, he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi social fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa honor fraternity. Jack's entry into the health care arena as a hospital administrator included leadership positions in Belmond, Iowa, Assistant Administrator at the University of Iowa Hospital, Syracuse University Hospital, Appleton Medical Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, and Froedert Memorial Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. In 1962, he became a full member of the American College of Hospital Administrators. He was a board member and later President of the Tri-State Hospital Assembly while being named recipient of the Tri-State Assembly Award of Merit. Jack retired in 1984 and took permanent residency in Pompano Beach, Fla. with his wife Shirlee. He was a member of the Rotary, Elks, St. Gabriel Parish, and served as President of Lado Del Rio Condominium Association in Pompano Beach. Jack enjoyed his retirement years at Lado Del Rio, his many friends and associations, his trusted compadre Henry Gonzalez, and later shared a special relationship with Margaret Paleologus. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Shirlee (Van den Elsen) Shepard in 1994, and a brother Robert. Jack's life was celebrated with family and military Marine Corp honors on November 13, 2010 with burial at Greenwood Cemetery, Hayward, WI.

Sun-Sentinel - Fort Lauderdale, FL
November 19, 2010