Viola M. Sheppard

Viola M. “Ole” Sheppard, of 995 Birch Tree Lane, Fond du Lac, died at her home on Tuesday, August 11, 2009.She was born on March 31, 1924, to Robert and Margaret Boeder. In 1945, she was legally adopted by Mrs. Lena Krueger of Watertown, in whose home she had been raised since 1933. Her sisters by this adoption were the late Misses Alice and Anita Krueger.On June 25, 1949, she was married to H. Mark Sheppard, who preceded her in death on July 10, 1974.Mrs. Sheppard graduated from Watertown High School in 1942, and from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1946, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. She taught Latin and Spanish at Oshkosh High School from 1946-1950, one year at Rosendale High School from 1961-1962, and was a foreign language and English teacher in the Fond du Lac School District from 1962 until her retirement in 1985.She was a lifetime member of NEA and WEAC, a member of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, the Wisconsin Association of Foreign Language Teachers, the Fond du Lac Area Retired Educators’ Association, and the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, in which she served as state president from 1992-1995, and as local chapter president for three terms. She was a member of the Fond du Lac County Republican Party, the Fond du Lac County Federation of Republican Women, in which she served as treasurer for several years. She was a former member of the Fond du Lac Literacy Council and secretary of the Fond du Lac County Adult Literacy Program. She was also a former member of the Sunset Stitchers Quilt Guild.Mrs. Sheppard was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fond du Lac.She is survived by her children: daughters, Mary Dullinger (Al); Deborah Kiser (Jim and their children Holly and Ivy to whom she was especially close), and with whom she made her home since 1985; sons, Leath (Maureen); and Tim (Beth); 15 grandchildren: Erica, Garritt, Micah, Karen, Al, Mark, Jodi, Angela, Tom, Teri, Jeremy, Holly, Ivy, Eric, and Lauren; and 17 great-grandchildren. Also surviving her are one brother-in-law, Howard Abbe of Dundee, Oregon; two sisters-in-law, Edith Stepanski (Jack) of Oshkosh, and Kathleen Boeder of Seguin, Texas; nieces and nephews.Also preceding her in death were her brother, Donald Boeder (2008) of Seguin, Texas, and her sister, Roberta Abbe (2007) of Dundee, Oregon.Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 606 Forest Avenue, Fond du Lac, at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 14, 2009, with Pastor Fred Toppe officiating. The family will receive visitors on Friday, at the church, from 3:30 p.m. until the time of service.Memorials may be directed to Redeemer Lutheran Church, Hospice Hope, or to The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Alpha Theta Chapter.Additional information and guest book may be found at both www.caringbridge.org/visit/olemsheppard and www.machfuneralchapel.com.

Viola M. Sheppard

March 31, 1924 - August 11, 2009