"Bill" William Franklin Shepherd

William “Bill” Franklin Shepherd was born in the hospital in Shattuck, Oklahoma on March 14, 1943 to Victor D. and Lucy (Hardy) Shepherd. Bill and his brother Victor Ray were raised on the farm. They milked cows, raised chickens and other fowl (birds). They rode their horses to school every day until eighth grade and then they had to take a bus to Laverne High School. There he met Lloyd Evans, his best friend for life. When he was 15 years old a car accident took the lives of his brother and mother. He had to grow up fast as his father was recuperating from his injuries. Bill had to work after school to have spending money. He has always been a hard worker. Bill graduated from Laverne High School in 1961. He had many jobs. He worked in the feed mill at Follett, Texas, worked for a highway construction crew, roughnecked on an oil rig and many more. In 1964 he met and married Betty Dixon. They moved to Perryton, Texas where he worked for Phillips Petroleum Company for five years. Betty’s father had a stroke in 1971 and wanted Bill and Betty to buy the farm. They moved to the farm in 1972. There, they raised four children on the farm; Heather Dawn, April Renea’, Mark Shane and Brandon Todd. To support Bill’s farming habit, he started his oilfield contract pumping business and called it B & B Operations, Inc. At one time they had a nice herd of Registered Angus cattle. Wife Betty did the books and some farming too. Bill was always the “Boss”. In 2014 they built a new home on the farm and were enjoying life there. In 2020 they lost their third child and Betty’s mother who was living with them at that time. Bill became ill with C.O.P.D. Much of their time was spent going to doctors and appointments. Bill went to be with his heavenly Father on March 22, 2024 at the age of 81 years, 8 days.

Bill was preceded in death by his grandparents, his parents, brother Victor Ray, daughter April Shepherd Mills, son Brandon Todd Shepherd, son Mark Shane Shepherd and his mother-in-law and father-in-law.

Bill is survived by his wife, Betty, of 59 years, his daughter Heather Heckman (Matt), grandchildren Mark Christian Shepherd, Danea’ Swinke, Jessica Heckman, Jadon Shepherd, Nathaniel Shepherd, Summer Dawn Shepherd, Tryston Shepherd and two great grandsons; Gage Scott Twilleger and Allen Ray Shepherd.