August 13, 1948 - June 12, 2021
It is with great sadness, but also with a sense of peace that we announce the passing of our father and husband after a long struggle with mental, and later physical illnesses, and a brief time at Hospice Georgian Triangle.
Don was born and raised in Meaford, Ontario, and moved to Collingwood where he was employed at Canadian Mist distillery for nearly 40 years up until his retirement.
Our Don was a gentle, caring man with a love for nature and animals.
In his younger years he was active in sports. He was a good wrestler in high school, later he played broomball and softball on a number of local teams.
As a young man, he and his brother Ron both had Kowasaki motorcycles which they enjoyed riding and working on.
He was a member of the 63rd Royal Canadian Legion pipes and drums band, an interest shared with brothers Ron and Jim which led to many travels including to Scotland to play in the Edinburgh tattoo.
Don was a good fisherman. He spent a lot of time angling with his elder brother Jim who was an avid fly fisherman who tied his own flies. They tried their hands at a variety of fishing styles and had favourite hollows on the Bighead River, the wharf in Meaford, Indian Brook shore, and out on the ice of Georgian Bay.
He was a patient stained glass craftsman and created many works of art, some of which he sold, but most he gave as gifts to family and friends.
He enjoyed photography, and capturing moments in time from behind the lens. His favourite subjects were his family, and we are fortunate to have many thousands of memories forever immortalized on film.
Don met his future wife Winara in their hometown of Meaford where they were wed in 1972. She fondly remembers the first time she saw him riding his motorcycle with his kilt flying.
His life was forever altered by the suicide of his twin brother at age 26, and a cloud of grief that he was unable to shake followed him throughout his life afterwards. Despite his decades long battle with depression, he was a hard working provider, and loving husband and father who was devoted to his family. He was brave and selfless, even re-entering our home during a fire to save our dog.
Many happy memories surround his legacy, like his subtle humourous antics, family camping trips and time spent in nature. He enjoyed foraging for prized morel mushrooms with brother Frank, and wild asparagus, and puffballs, a tradition he passed on to his daughters that they still carry out each year.
His daughter Kyla has treasured memories of carefully collecting monarch caterpillars with him and later releasing the butterflies after witnessing their metamorphosis. Time was made to find turtles and salamanders, to watch fox kits play from a distance so as not to disturb them. He instilled a great love of nature in his children from a young age.
He built an annual backyard ice rink which he reliably maintained, for family skating. He'd be out in the dark hosing it down, keeping it shoveled.
He really enjoyed a good game of cribbage, his daughter Tiegan cherishes her memories of this and other card games, a pastime he enjoyed into his later years.
Weekend trips to his childhood hometown of Meaford to drop in on the many family members who live(d) in that town were a regular occurrence. He always made time for people, and showed how much he cared by the little things he did for others every day.
Don is survived by his wife of 49 years Winara, his daughters Kyla (Darren Ellis) and Tiegan (Jim Kemp), brothers Bruce and Frank (Maria) and numerous nieces and nephews. He will also be missed by the close friends who've enriched his and Winara's lives through the years. He will be remembered as generous, a doting father and a fine man and husband. He will be greatly missed.
He was predeceased by his parents Arthur and Violet Shepperd, sisters Aileen (Paul Mills), Helen (Art sills), Jean (Ken Prouse), and brothers Jim (Marg) and twin Ronald (Patricia). Our family would also like to express our gratitude to the staff at Hospice Georgian Triangle for their professionalism, kindness and compassion during our time of need.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to plant a memorial tree would be welcomed (please see the information below) or donations may be made to Hospice Georgian Triangle, and the Cody Shepperd Project, a foundation established in memory of Don's young nephew who died from suicide at age 20.
Memorial Tree
https://www.gofundme.com/f/memorial-tree-for-don-shepperd?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR02_up0SYKPSEhvQlrF1Irn4C3kTQF_j2OmdqYLFbc07e1ImrIUDS2pGbA