Happy New Year, Shepard Family and Friends!

Hello Shepard Family and Friends,

This message comes with a wish that 2008 will be a wonderful year for each of us, a year filled with joy and purpose and fulfillment; and a year to realize all over again the value of family -- not just those close at hand, but also those not so close, with whom we share a common bond.

Earlier this week Barbara sent out, by regular mail, formal invitations to the family reunion July 19, 2008, in Anacortes, Washington. (Thanks to Barb!) She sent them out to all those she had a physical address for. If you did not get one, send me an email with your home address and I will make sure one gets sent to you. We want to keep every friend and family member informed, whether or not you will actually be there in person.

Fascinating Family Fact: Did you know? The oldest living member of our Shepard family is Elmer Shepard of Henderson, Texas who will be 90 in May, 2008. And the youngest member of our family is Thelma Shepard Boyd's great grandson, Damian Ortiz, born Nov 29, 2006 in San Diego to Jeremy and Desiree Ortiz. (see picture).

Family Faces: I am sending two pictures with this email. One is an oldie, from November, 1953, of William and Bura Shepard, their 4 children, and their 6 grandchildren (plus two others on the way! Beryl, on the left, will give birth to a daughter Joan in a few months; and Maida, in the middle, though it is hard to tell, will give birth to Darrell in a few months.). The children on the front row are Dane, me, Gary and Linda. The others in the picture are Elmer, Thelma, Eugene (above Maida), Beverly, Pauline, Bill, and Rex Russell. Dane tells me this picture was taken in Alpine, California (east of San Diego) where Elmer and his family were living at the time.

The other picture is a very recent picture of Thelma and Terry Boyd, with two of their 3 grandchildren (Jeremy and Amanda Ortiz) and their 3 great grandchildren (including their youngest, Damian on the left with his mother Desiree).

Do you have an old or new family picture you'd like to share with others in your extended family? Just email it to me.
--
Steve