Colonel George Thatcher Shepard, “Shep” joined his heavenly family on 1 March 2024 after a battle with a combination of health issues. He was born in New London, Connecticut on 9 November 1936, becoming an Army Brat during WWII and followed his family around the world. He graduated from Riverside Military Academy (Gainesville, GA) and then attended Texas A&M where he earned his Mechanical Engineering Degree while also serving as a Regimental Commander in the Corps of Cadets graduating in 1958. He went on to both Airborne and Ranger Schools as an infantry officer for his initial tours before being assigned to the Ordnance branch. He met his wife of 60 years, Sally A. Shepard (Gramzow), while serving in Detroit.
He was stationed in duty assignments around the world that included Germany and Turkey, two tours of duty in Vietnam, as well as many stateside. His command assignments included the Munich Equipment Maintenance Center, the 707th Maintenance Battalion, Fort Ord, California, and the Test Measurement Diagnostic Equipment Support Group (TMDE) at Redstone Arsenal. He retired after 27 years of active duty as Chief of Staff of the Redstone Arsenal Army Missile Command with many awards and decorations that included the Army Staff Identification Badge (Pentagon), multiple Meritorious Service and Bronze Star Medals as well as The Legion of Merit. During his years of service, he obtained his MBA from Babson College, Boston, Massachusetts, graduated from the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth Kansas and the Army War College in Carlisle Pennsylvania.
He joined Teledyne Brown Engineering for 16 years as a Systems Engineer before retiring to the golf course.
Shep was an Eagle Scout, Soldier, and Family Man. He most enjoyed traveling to see family, friends, and golf courses, probably setting the record for most rounds on the Redstone Links. He was a man of faith and was always early to church sitting in the same pew every Sunday everyplace he lived. He was an American Patriot and a true lover of soldiers. He always had a flag flying at his house. His favorite holiday was the huge family gatherings with his grandkids and great grandkids that happened every Thanksgiving. He and Sally transitioned to the Redstone Village community almost three years ago where he easily became a big part of the RV family and the busy lifestyle of Redstone Village.
He was preceded in death by his father, Colonel (Ret.) Julius T. and Lucy Mae Shepard. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sally; his sister, Susan Jane Mease (Colorado Springs, CO); brother, Colonel (Ret.) Phil Shepard (Melbourne, Florida), his two sons, Colonel (Ret.) G. Thatch Shepard, Jr. (Jennie), Ridgeland, Mississippi and Major (Ret.) John T. Shepard (Debbie), Naples Florida. He had five grandchildren, Samantha Mae Hidalgo (Joaquin) Ridgeland MS, Captain Mollie Shepard (Romania), Lieutenant J. Thatcher Shepard (Uniformed Services Medical School at Walter Reed, Bethesda, Maryland), Allie Shepard (Naples, FL) and Cason Shepard (Naples, FL); and great-grandchildren, Shep, Lucy Mae, Henry, and Helen Hidalgo (Ridgeland, MS).
A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, 18 March 2024 with a 12:30 PM visitation and 1:00 PM Mass at the Good Shepherd Catholic Parish in Huntsville, Alabama (13550 Chaney Thompson Road SE, Huntsville, AL, 35803). The Mass will be followed by a reception at the Redstone Village Club Room, 12000 Turnmeyer Drive, Huntsville, Alabama, 35803.
He will ultimately be interred at Arlington Cemetery at a later date to be determined.
Because we are in the Lenten season, in lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Warrior Bonfire Program (warriorbonfireprogram.org) for our Purple Heart veterans, or your favorite veterans’ charity on his behalf.
