Obituary of James Shepard

James Morton Shepard was born in San Jose, California on May 10, 1929. As his family followed his father on various job assignments, Jim attended schools in Palo Alto, Stockton, and Berkeley, graduating from A to Zed High School in 1946. He attended college at U.C. Davis before transferring to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he earned a BS in Agriculture. After military service in the Korean Conflict, Jim returned to Cal Poly to earn a teaching credential in vocational agriculture and worked as a public school teacher in the Merced area. His career path changed dramatically, however, when he began what was to be a 22-year assignment as an agricultural advisor for the U.S. Department of State, Agency for International Development (USAID), serving in various countries in Africa, as well as Pakistan, Ethiopia, and the Sinai. His first assignment was to Pong Tamala, Ghana in July 1957. Ghana had become independent from Great Britain in March of that same year. From there, Jim went to Nigeria, where he developed a model agricultural farm settlement at Ikorodu-the only foreign teacher and advisor there. Jim was transferred from Nigeria to what was then Dacca, East Pakistan, which became the independent country of Bangladesh in 1971 following a brief but violent revolution while he was there. After fourteen years with USAID, Jim was posted to Washington DC, where he was assigned to USAID's head office in 1972. But Jim's interest in the broader world soon meant that he was on the road again. From Washington, Jim was assigned to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1975, a country that had recently had a coup against the monarchy, and was beginning a Civil War. Even though Jim was an agricultural attach‚ his assignments were to countries that were often engaged in political turmoil, riots, and war. This was in recognition by USAID of Jim's capacity for leadership, knowledge and compassion in extremely difficult situations. Jim's final assignment with the Foreign Service was his most peaceful, even though it was between two armies. Jim was assigned as Attach‚ to the Sinai Field Mission in 1977-1978, which monitored traffic between Israel and Egypt. He was a Liaison Officer between the Egyptian and Israeli militaries. This was a remote assignment, but also a key outpost for the United States' efforts to implement the Camp David Accords negotiated by President Carter in 1978. He retired in 1979 and returned to the United States to settle in his cabin at Lake Almanor to be closer to his two daughters. He met Sandy on the slopes of the Lassen Park Ski Area, and they were married in 1989. They moved to Chico, where he will be fondly remembered for his cooking, bread-making and the pleasure of 5 o'clock wine time. Not fond of traveling after a career spent traipsing across the globe, Jim preferred shorter road trips to Lassen, Mt. Shasta, Dillon Beach and Tucson. He was a wise gentleman who loved to entertain in his home, spend time with his grandchildren, and engage in robust debates with his friends. He treasured his time with "The Ladies"; and though he rarely cared what the score was, would never miss a gathering with the Monday Night Football gang. In addition to an adventurous life and a wealth of happy memories, Jim leaves behind his wife, Sandy Hough Shepard; two daughters, Marieke Shepard of Chico, and Roemi Wiley and her husband Todd of Chico; stepdaughter, Stacey Hammer Love and her husband Bob of Tucson, AZ; stepson, Aaron Hammer and his wife Darla of Chico; brother, Bud Shepard and his wife Maggi of Potter Valley, CA; seven grandchildren: Jordan, Mikaela and Max Wiley, Matthew and Daniel Love, and Colby and Lane Hammer; plus many special nieces, nephews and friends. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at Brusie Funeral Home, 626 Broadway. Reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a charitable donation to the Butte Literacy Council