Mary Freeman Sheppard, 100 of Springfield, died peacefully under the wonderful care of everyone at Springhouse Village East (including angels Iona, Sylvia, Romina, Chloe, Jade, Addison, Shannon, Jackie, Isyss, Jada, and Karen), and special friends Melissa Manzer, Holly Eskridge, and Sharon Bernie.
She graduated from Southwest Missouri State University with a dual major of biology and chemistry. During her marriage, she was very active at Westminster Presbyterian Church and later until age prevented it, at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church serving as a Deacon and on several committees including the History Committee due to her interest in the Sheppard’s leadership as founding members of the Presbyterian Church of Springfield.
She served as a Medical Technologist (ASMT) from 1944 until 1970 at O’Reilly General Hospital, Wadsworth Veterans Hospital, the Springfield Women’s Clinic, the Glenn Turner Clinic, the Red Cross Blood Bank, St. John’s Hospital, Burge Hospital and Cox Medical Center, serving as the Program Director for the Cox School of Medical Technology from 1970 until her retirement in 1989.
Mary is survived by her two children, Patricia Freeman Sheppard Robinson (Andy) and Joseph D. “Chip” Sheppard, III (Silvia); her five grandchildren: Kristen Marie Palmer, Jacqueline Sheppard Davis (Allen), John Patrick Bowman (Kali), Alexandra Sheppard Sinacola (James), Nicolas Freeman Sheppard (Madeline); seven great grandchildren: Brandon Redding, Paris Rogers, Eleanor Elizabeth Bowman, and Lilliana Scout Sinacola, James Mario Sinacola, III, Sheppard Stone Sinacola, and Lucia Lynn Sinacola; one great, great grandchild – Arya Rose Rogers; nieces and nephews Samuel Bradley Cravens, Beth Cravens White, Carolyn Cobb Aslin and James Edward Cobb and her “adopted” son, John Bowman, whose love and devotion to her happiness and comfort in her twilight years touched all who witnessed it, and most of all, Mary.
A Funeral Service will be at 11:30 am, Saturday, February 11th, 2023, at First & Calvary Presbyterian Church: 820 E. Cherry, Springfield.
There will be a Celebration of Life immediately following the service from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Atrium, followed by a graveside service at the family plot in Maple Park Cemetery, Springfield.
In lieu of flowers, Mary would be honored by memorial contributions to First and Calvary Presbyterian Church Foundation which was special to her heart, keeping a House of Prayer in the middle of her alma mater’s campus.
Lohmeyer Funeral Home is coordinating services.