Susan Davis Shepard

Susan Davis Shepard, 78, of Williamsburg passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, October 15, 2017. She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman Ray Davis and Ruth Perry Davis of Jacksonville, NC and an infant brother Perry Davis. Susan was born in Rocky Mount, NC where she spent her early childhood. Her family moved to Jacksonville, NC in 1954. Susan graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1957 and followed in her mother Ruth’s footsteps and pursued a nursing career having graduated from Georgia Baptist College of Nursing – Mercer University in 1960. She was married to her high school sweetheart Charles Leon Shepard, Jr. for 57 years. They started their life together in Greenville, NC where Charles finished his college studies at East Carolina University and Susan worked in the operating room at Pitt Memorial Hospital. They spent most of their married years on the Virginia Peninsula, first in Newport News and then Williamsburg. They were one of the first residents of Kingsmill. In addition to her nursing career Susan worked in Williamsburg as a realtor, first at Cale Realty and later at McCardle Realty where she formed many wonderful friendships with her clients and associates. Susan’s primary focus in life was her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She also was actively involved and close to her extended family. She loved everything about Eastern North Carolina, especially Emerald Isle where the family vacationed for over forty years. Her greatest passion was cooking learned from a long lineage of great cooks in her family. In addition to her husband, also left to cherish Susan’s memory are her two daughters Charlotte Morton (Allan) of Williamsburg and Jennifer Frazier (Chad) of Wake Forrest, NC along with four grandchildren Tyler and Lindsey Morton and Ryan and Drew Frazier. She is also survived by her brother, William T. Davis, Sr. (Ann) of Williamsburg, a nephew, William T. Davis, Jr. of Williamsburg and a niece, Hannah D. Butler of Harrisburg, NC and their families. The family will receive visitors at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185 from 5-7 PM on Sunday, October 22, 2017. There will be a memorial service at 11:00 AM on Monday, October 23, 2017 at Walnut Hills Baptist Church, 1014 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185. The family would also like to express their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to Debbie Boyd, Riverside Hospice for her kindness and compassion shown to Susan in her last hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Susan’s name to Walnut Hills Baptist Church, or Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, Inc., P.O. Box 1356, Williamsburg, VA 23187. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.nelsenwilliamsburg.com.