Ralph Shepard and Lela Shepard, his Wife.

SHEPARD
Ralph C Lela A
1881-1964 1885-1977

A Record of Service ----- Statesman Journal, March 26 1964; ----

One should not let the likes of Ralph C. Shepard pass from the scene without noting his contribution to the Polk Country area he farmed for half a century.

He passed away at the age of 82 Monday at his salem home, leaving behind a long record of civic service, which spread beyond the Zena area he loved so much. Many who will follow him in the development of those rolling hills and farms will be building upon the foundations he and those like him have laid.

Sons of Early Polk Rancher Gather in Salem for Reunion ----- Statesman Journal, July 14 1955; ----

[ E Ray Shepard (left) Washington, D.C., is in Salem this week for a reunion with his brothers, Fred Shepard (standing), Bend, and Ralph Shepard, Salem. They are songs of the late Mr. and Mrs. James R Shepard of Zena. All three are now retired, Ray from many years of service with Army Engineers and the others from farming in Oregon.]

Three sons of the late Mr. and Mrs. James R. Shepard, one-time owners of the Frank Crawford ranch in the Zena area of Polk County, help their first reunion in several years in Salem this week. They are E. Ray Shepard, 75, long time geo-physicist for the Army Engineers and now living in retirement in Washington D.C. ; Fred Shepard, 63, formerly a Centeral Oregon farmer and now retired at Bend, and Ralph Shepard, 73, farmer in the Zena area for many years and now retired at his home, 2730 Sedona St., Salem.

The three men, with their wives, were guests Monday night at a dinner in their honor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Shepard, Ralph Shepard's son and daughter-in-law. The three elder Shepard families have 16 children -- Ralph nine, Fred five, and Ray two. The men's only sister, Mrs. Ruth Hosch, resides in Carmel, Calif.

Ray Shepard was graduated from Oregon State College (then OAC) om 1901, in electrical engineering, and from the University of California in the same course in 1904. He took his master's degree at Harvard in 1906. Prior to going with the Army (Corps) of Engineers he was with the U.S. Bureau of Standards. His geo-physical exploratory work on the foundation of dams took him all over North America and also in pre-construction suveys at Fern Ridge, Umatilla and Dorena Dams in Oregon. He retired five years ago.

Parents of the three men came to Oregon in 1882 from Salt Lake City, where James Shepard was part owner of the Salt Lake City Tribune and where his sons, Ray and Ralph were born.