Born May 3, 1946, in Detroit, he was the only child of Edward and Agnes Shepard. He was a graduate of Grosse Pointe South High School in 1964, and of Michigan State University in 1968, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. After college, he worked as a salesman for Uniroyal, and finished his career in sales at Unisys Corporation. He enjoyed going to Northern Michigan, boating, golfing, reading, but most of all, he loved spending time with his family.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Karen; his three children, Bill (Sara), Michael (Sharon), and Stephanie (Kushtrim); and his six grandchildren, Nash, Scarlett, Ava, Anna, James and Benjamin.
A memorial service will be held at 10 AM, Saturday, December 28, 2024, at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Grosse Pointe Woods.
To honor William and his love for animals, as well as his battle with dementia, the family welcomes donations to the Michigan Humane Society and Alzheimer’s Association.
