Erma Provost Shepard, age 97, died Monday Dec. 17, 2012 at Brighton Gardens of Charlotte, N.C.
Mrs. Shepard was born Aug. 12, 1915 in Fairview, Mass., and grew up in Holyoke, Mass where she was graduated with honors from Holyoke High School. Following her marriage and as her husband was transferred, she lived in Worcester, Mass; West Hartford, Conn; Longmeadow, Mass and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. She was a former reference librarian at the Babson Library, Springfield College and serials librarian at the Garbrecht Law Library, University of Maine. Following retirement she was a resident of Fairhope, for 32 years. She was very active in the community, serving as a founder and Board member of the Fairhope Museum of History, as an officer/member of the Fairhope Garden Club, member of the Fairhope Yacht Club, singing with the Eastern Shore Choral Society and as a soloist in the First United Methodist Church choir. Shepard and her husband, Shep, celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary in Aug. 1998 at the Yacht Club. She is survived by her daughters, Dr. Elisabeth (Craig) Sheldon of Wetumpka, Ala. and Susan (Robert) Martin of Charlotte, N.C; daughter-in-law, Jann Shepard of Carrboro, N.C; two grandchildren, Brandon Shepard of Carrboro, N.C., and Courtney Shepard of Longmont, Colo; and brother, Dr. Richard (Marilyn) Provost of Creston, Iowa and Mesa, Ariz. Along with her parents, Leo A. and Marietta Gifford Provost, she was preceded in death by her husband, Goodwin Gregory Shepard; her son, Goodwin Gregory Shepard II; two brothers, Milton and Raymond and three sisters, Dorothy, Leona and Elizabeth. Arrangements are incomplete at this time, but a graveside service will be held in Fairhope. The family requests that any memorial gifts be contributed to the Erma Provost Shepard Scholarship: Holyoke Community College Foundation, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke, MA 01040 with a memo line of Erma Provost Shepard Scholarship.
