Celebrating Mothers

Mother's Day 2023

With Mothers' Day this weekend, I am reminded of the many women in our family tree who have had an immeasurable impact on our family history. My mother Maida Shepard is just one of many moms in our family whose lives deserve great honor. 

At 98 years old, my mother Maida has celebrated Mothers' Day 77 times! Her first born Gary came into this world in March of 1946. Two months later, as a young mother of just 21 years old, she held the two month old child of her and Eugene Shepard and celebrated the holiday in a very personal way for the very first time. Maida was also fortunate enough to celebrate the day with her own mother, our Grandmother Nola Shannon Gower. Grandma and Grandpa Gower lived on Arizona Street in San Diego at the time and surely made the most of that special day.

In my family research I am constantly amazed at the dedicated mothers who sacrificed so much for their families. In addition to my own wife and my own mother, I celebrate my Grandmothers Bura Davis and Nola Shannon, two wonderful women who have made a lasting impression on our family. 

Here are other women who have gone before us and whose lives reflect great love and dedication for their families: Lydia Warford Williams, Hannah Sheppard, Peggy Ann Gray, and Mary Sprague Shepard Ragsdale. These are just some of the women whose life stories are recounted at some length in the posts of The Shepard's Crook. Click on one of the links to jump to the story of that particular woman.

So wherever you are this Mother's Day, I wish you the very best in celebrating with your mother and the other women who are important to you. May all the mothers of our family have a wonderful Mother's Day!

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Steve Shepard

he/him/his