Jeremiah is survived by his wife Sherry Shepherd of 24 years, his sons Larry (Malinda) Shepherd, Tony Shepherd and daughter, Elaine Robinson. (His daughter Geraldine (Robert) Adams passed in recent years.) He is also survived by his stepdaughters, Amy Hampton and Kimyetta (Vilroy) Hayden and their children David, Mark, and Hannah. Jerry is also survived by his sisters Ruth Shepherd and Ann (Richard) Etchison along with numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Born on July 7, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to the parents of Mr. Daniel Shepherd and Mrs. Margaret Woodruff, Jerry's courage and determination helped him survive during the time of segregation and Jim Crow Laws in the south. He often shared stories of how much he and his family had to overcome in order to survive racism and inequality. He served in the U.S. Marines for two years.
At an early age, Jerry had a strong ability to build, repair and construct things. He started at Lockheed Corporation in 1951 and worked there for 37 years. Jerry was one of the first African Americans to work in non-maintenance jobs at Lockheed. During this time, he was married to his first wife Florene and together they raised four beautiful children and numerous grandchildren. He retired in 1989.
In 1992, as a widower, Jerry met his wife Sherry and they moved to Fayetteville. He came out of retirement to help build the Fayetteville Church of Christ facility where he later served on staff for several years.
Later in life, Jerry settled on 5 acres of land in Monticello, where he spent his last 17 years enjoying his life of farming, building, and spending time with family. Jerry accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and would often spend time reading his Bible, sharing scriptures and watching Christian Television. Today he's resting securely in the arms of Jesus forever into eternity.
We love you Jerry and we'll miss you!
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Jerry's life through limited public viewing on Saturday, March 28, 2020 from 10:30AM-12:30PM at Horis A. Ward Funeral Home - Fairview Chapel, 376 Fairview Road, Stockbridge, Georgia 30281.
**Due to the COVID-19 regulations, the viewing will be private. We strongly advise loved ones to submit condolences, messages and photos below.
Thank you for your prayers and cooperation.
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