It is with sadness that we announce that our mother, Margaret Shepherd, passed away peacefully with her two surviving children at her side, on Thursday, November 26, 2015 at the age of 95 years.

Margaret was born on the family farm in the Hopehill district north of Whitewood, SK, the eldest of eight children born to Elizabeth (nee More) and Armstrong Stevenson. She attended school at various times at the Hopehill, Whitewood, St. John’s, Armitieres, and Park schools completing grades 1 to 8, grades 9 and 10 by correspondence and grades 11 and 12 by moving in with a Whitewood family so as to be close enough to a school that she could attend, and worked for the family in exchange for room and board.

After high school she worked as a cook at Piroth’s Café and then clerked at Knowlers Ltd. in Whitewood. She left the workforce when her children were born and returned to work in Whitewood in 1957 to supplement the farm income working at the Triple T gas station café until 1967, then she worked at the Robinson’s store from 1967 until 1980 when she retired. After her retirement, she worked part time as required at Robinson’s, Macleod’s, the Solo Store and the R.M. of Willowdale at election time. In the late 1930s Margaret met her future husband, Fred Shepherd, and they were married on November 26, 1942. They lived on and worked the family farm located west of Whitewood for the next 54 years until 1996 when they moved into Whitewood. Their four children, Glennice, Donald, Mervyn and Karen were raised on this family farm. The family farm had been in the Shepherd family since the early 1900s and it is where Fred had grown up in the 1920s and 1930s. They kept their hand in farming for another five years until 2001 by keeping their land and leasing out the farming operation. Margaret always had a large and varied garden which was lovingly cared for. She was a great cook and there are many fond memories of the Saskatoon berry pies and all the other kinds of pies she enjoyed baking. Margaret loved working with her hands creating many beautiful pieces of knitting, crocheting and especially quilting. She was also active for many years in the Whitewood Anglican parish. She tirelessly worked on organizing a number of family reunions and helped in documenting the history of Whitewood and area. Both Margaret and Fred were avid curlers for many years. Margaret was always ready with a smile and quietly went out of her way to help family and friends.

Margaret is survived by two children, Don (Teresa) Shepherd of Calgary, AB and Karen (Dave) Werrett of Candle Lake, SK; son-in-law Bill Adair of Leduc, AB; and daughter-in-law Joan Shepherd of Edmonton, AB; fourteen grandchildren, Wendy Frender, Sheila (Marvin) Finnman, Trevor (Margaretha) Adair and Christine (Tyron) Lifeso; Kevin (Tania) Shepherd, Kern (Kate) Shepherd, Emma Shepherd and Mitchell Shepherd; Denise Shepherd and Gerry Noseworthy; Carissa (Gilles) Villeneuve, Jeff (Brittany) Taggart, Jennifer Werrett and Brennan Werrett; sixteen great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Herb Thurston; sisters-in-law, Margaret Stevenson, Sandy Stevenson, Bertha Shepherd and Eva Pattison; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Margaret was predeceased by her father Armstrong Stevenson in 1968, son Mervyn in 1979, mother Elizabeth Stevenson in 1991, husband Fred in 2001 and daughter Glennice in 2004; her seven siblings Mable, Donald, Verna, Jim, Elva, Tom and Beverly; brothers-in-law, Lloyd Thomson, Walter Nelson, Boyd Shepherd and Ken Pattison; and sisters-in-law, Phyllis Stevenson and Norma Stevenson.