Joseph Shepard

Joseph John "Jack" Shep­ard, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, March 20, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born March 21, 1930, in St. Louis, son of Joseph Matthew and Anna Evelyn Hill Shepard. He and Anita Johnson were married Nov. 25, 1950, in St. Louis.

Shepard served in the U.S. Army from Nov. 25, 1950, to Jan. 9, 1954. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau. He had also been a member of the Jaycees, American Legion, Telephone Pioneers, Knights of Columbus and the NRA.

Survivors include his wife of Cape Girardeau; two daughters, Cynthia Ann Rawlins of Salem, Va., Candace Marie Ralls of Cape Girardeau; a brother, Richard C. Shepard of St. Louis; three grandchildren, Adam Ralls of Cape Girardeau, Andrew Ralls of Blacksburg, Va., and Alexis Ralls of Cape Girardeau.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a grandchild.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Vincent de Paul Church, with the Rev. Saviour Nundwe officiating.

Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.