No Greater Joy, January 20, 2011

There is no greater joy

than family joy.

~Dane Shepard

Hello Shepard Family and Friends,
 
Greetings to all of you from San Diego, where Cindy and I have returned after a few weeks away.

Oklahoma Shepards Celebrate. Tomorrow is the birthday of my cousin Dane Shepard and his son Nathan (see first picture) who were both born on January 21. Dane and Nathan, along with wife and mother Cindy and daughter and sister Kaylan, live in Newcastle, Oklahoma. Dane's father is Elmer Shepard, the older son of Bura and Will Shepard, and the oldest living member of the Shepard clan.

Dane wrote me recently and said, "I have attached a photo of Nathan and I since we share the same day. Regarding our winter, compared to other parts of the country, we have had a dry and storm free season so far. Temps are cold at times and will get into the teens at night very soon. We have stayed healthy for the most part and are grateful as we continue to help with parents and other family members. Elmer is having a hard time right now and we hope his doctor will be able to ease his condition. We look forward to a challenging and rewarding year. We enjoy doing things together as a family. Sharing new experiences with our kids is really fulfilling. 

"I talked with Bud Davis and Mildred has been sent home with hospice care. (See 1930 wedding picture of Mildred with her late husband Jesse Davis.) She is not on any life support yet has shown some response and apparent improvement. However, it is only a matter of time. She has had a lot of family and friends visit and Bud says it has been a good situation for all considering the circumstances. I'm glad I got to visit with her a couple of times in the past two years. She is a sweet lady with a great sense of humor and has a loving family and plenty of friends and brethren close to her. 

"We will keep on praying and working, and remembering the privilege of having the opportunity to return some of the grace given so lovingly to us. Thanks so much for keeping us informed about so many, past and present. There is no greater joy than family joy."

Looking Ahead. The weather has been frightfully frigid so far this winter for many of our family scattered around the country, including those who live in Anacortes, Washington. But we can be sure that, come August, Western Washington will be beautiful and a wonderful place to have our Shepard Family Reunion August 13, 2011. You are invited to mark your calendars and join us.
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Steve