Sadie, Cindy and Soldier William, January 30, 2018

When I get older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine

~John Lennon

Hello and greetings to all of you from San Diego on this warm and sunny day in late January as we approach the midpoint of Winter later this week on Ground Hog Day.

Remembering Sadie Shepard Pruett (1892-1980). This week marks the anniversary of the birth of my Grandfather's sister Sadie J. Shepard. She was born and raised in Venice, Madison County, Illinois, but at 13 years old her family moved to Oklahoma. After finishing school she actually went into teaching for a while. But that career was cut short when a young fellow named Levy Pruett caught her eye. She married Levy in 1910 and settled into being a rancher's wife in rural Beaver County, Oklahoma. She and husband Levy raised three daughters, Alberta, Gayle, and Twila.

Levy and Sadie Pruett, Bura, Will and Thelma Shepard

This first picture shows Levy and Sadie Shepard Pruett with Bura and William Shepard (Sadie's brother). In front is the Shepard's youngest child Thelma at 6 years old. This picture was taken in the summer of 1942 in Beaver County, Oklahoma when the Shepards, who lived in San Diego at the time, had returned to Oklahoma for a summer visit.

From The History of Beaver County, Volume 1 (p. 439): "Levy Pruett was born in Weaubleau, Missouri in 1879. He came to Beaver County in 1905. He filed on a quarter of land south of the Elmwood Post Office. In 1910 he married Sadie Shepard who had been born in Illinois in 1892. She had come here in 1905 with her folks. Before her marriage, she taught three terms of school, and one term after they were married. They lived in a two room frame house, later building a new house. Levy and Sadie lived on their ranch till 1966. Due to poor health, both went to the Beaver Nursing Home to live. Levy passed away in 1968." Sadie lived in Beaver County until her death in 1980.

Civil War Section of Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Indiana

William Elmer Shepard (1862-1915). This week also marks the beginning of a fateful month in the life of Sadie's father, William Elmer Shepard, born February 2, 1862 during the Civil War. This was also a fateful month for Sadie's Grandfather, William Shepard, who was a soldier in the Union Army's 41st Regiment. The soldier William was injured in a battle at Bowling Green, Kentucky in February, 1862 just days after his son William Elmer was born. Father William, almost certainly unaware of his son's birth, was sent to a military hospital in Evansville, Indiana. There, for 5 long months, he attempted to recover from his injuries. He finally succumbed to illness in the hospital on July 22, 1862 at just 27 years old. He lies buried today in the Civil War section of Evansville's Oak Hill Cemetery. Born 30 years later, Sadie never met her Shepard grandfather. We can only assume that through the family stories her father told her, Sadie knew of her Grandfather's sacrifice. It was an offering of his life that is honored and remembered to this day.

Will You Still Need Me, Will You Still Feed Me. Happy Birthday this Friday, February 2, to my brother's wife, Cindy Ann Shepard of Oak Harbor, Washington. I visited with Cindy this past week when I was in Washington to visit with my Mother Maida Gower Shepard and the rest of the family there. Cindy is doing very well and continues her work at Schenk Packing in nearby Mount Vernon where she has been employed for 15 years. She said she is pleased to be reaching this milestone birthday since few people in her entire family have reached this age.

This picture shows Cindy with Maida at Gary and Cindy's home in Oak Harbor this past Thanksgiving. Cindy is part of the invaluable team of family members who care for Maida. At 93 Mom continues to be tended to by her primary care givers and children, Gary and Barbara Shepard, and several other family members from Oak Harbor, and Anacortes, Washington where she lives. Best wishes and Happy Birthday to Cindy!
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Steve Shepard