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Rev James Reynold Sheppard

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Rev James Reynold Sheppard

Birth
Kitchener, Waterloo Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada
Death
16 Apr 1970 (aged 79)
Anoka County, Minnesota, USA
Burial
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA Add to Map
Plot
Section 43 Lot 480 Grave 1
Memorial ID
View Source
Sheppard
Rev. James R., age 79, 10509 Xavis St. N.W.. Coon Rapids. Retired Missouri Synod Lutheran Minister serving Congregations in Alberta, Canada, Minnesota & South Dakota, also former Editor of The Lutheran Observer. Survived by Wife Marie, Sons Walter & Richard, of Coon Rapids. Brother Albert Stevens of London, Ont. Services Tues at 2 pm from The Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, 9931 Foley Blvd, Coon Rapids. Visitation after 3 pm Mon at The Thurston - Lindberg Funeral Home, Anoka. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Memorials preferred.

Star Tribune
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Monday, April 20, 1970 - Page 34

_______________

5 BROTHERS MEET AFTER 35 YEARS

The Stevens and the Sheppards got together over the weekend for the first time in 35 years.

There were five altogether two Sheppards and three Stevens and they were all brothers
.
Rev. James R. Sheppard, 65, of Presbo, South Dakota, came the farthest. He left Kitchener in 1915 and returned once in 1921 while on his honeymoon.

That was the last time the five brothers were all together.

CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY

This weekend's gathering was the idea of James. He had just celebrated his 65th birthday and his elder brother, August Stevens, 48 Linwood St., was 75. "I thought it a good occasion to meet at least once again," said Rev. Mr. Sheppard.

The other brothers are Charles Herman Stevens, 72, a retired Kitchener postman now living in Toronto; Herman Julius Sheppard, 69, of 139 David St., and Albert R. Stevens, 67, of 292 Grey St., London, Ont.

The five officially met yesterday at Victoria Park. Accompanying them for a picnic were the wives of four of the brothers, sons and daughters and assorted grandchildren and great-grand children.

Counting sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, the brothers figure there are about 82 in the family now.

The brothers are sons of the late Mr. and Mrs. Karl Schippanowski. "You see why we changed our name," said Charles, All except James, the minister, were born in West Prussia, Germany. West Prussia now is part of Poland. The family came from Germany to Kitchener when Albert was just a baby. Why the two different names when the change from Schippanowski was made?

Rev. Mr. Sheppard said when he left Canada to take his first charge in the United States, the family, more or less, had agreed on the Sheppard name. "I told the immigration officials that likely would be my name when I changed it."

RETURNED TO CANADA

However, when he came back to Canada in 1921, he found the brothers had differed and Herman had stuck with the Sheppard name while the other three brothers took Stevens for a name.

"Some though Stevens was closer to the original spelling of our family name, which back in Germany began as Szk...." Rev. Mr. Sheppard said.

August and Herman are retired rubber workers. Albert is employed with a shoe company in London and James is still a Lutheran minister.

When Charles retired as a postman eight years ago, he received shortly afterwards an Imperial Service Medal from the Queen.

DON'T WRITE MUCH

He was showing the medal today to his brothers, who had not known of the honor. The brothers admit they aren't very good at writing each other.

Even though four of them live within a 90-mile radius of Kitchener, they have never been together once in the 35 years. However, several of the brothers have visited individually.

All five brothers are in excellent health. They all are hearty men and have a lively sense of humor.

Comparing families, August reported four children, eight grand-children and three great-grand- children. He is a widower.

Charles has four children and six grandchildren. Herman has five children and six grandchildren. Albert counts six children and 14 grandchildren. James has two bachelor sons.

FOLLOW TRADITION

Three in the family are carrying on the postman tradition. Two are sons-in-law of Albert. One, Clarence, is a son of Herman.

The brothers are quite proud that many of their children served in the army, navy and air force during the Second World War.

Present at the gathering yesterday were Clarence, who was 5 ½ years with the Canadian Army in Italy, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, and Howard of London, who was 3 1/2 years in the Canadian Navy.

The brothers don't intend to make the reunion an annual affair.

"If you like, say there will be another one in 10 years," quipped Charles. "But no undertakers are allowed."

Kitchener Waterloo Record, July 3, 1956
Sheppard
Rev. James R., age 79, 10509 Xavis St. N.W.. Coon Rapids. Retired Missouri Synod Lutheran Minister serving Congregations in Alberta, Canada, Minnesota & South Dakota, also former Editor of The Lutheran Observer. Survived by Wife Marie, Sons Walter & Richard, of Coon Rapids. Brother Albert Stevens of London, Ont. Services Tues at 2 pm from The Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, 9931 Foley Blvd, Coon Rapids. Visitation after 3 pm Mon at The Thurston - Lindberg Funeral Home, Anoka. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Memorials preferred.

Star Tribune
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Monday, April 20, 1970 - Page 34

_______________

5 BROTHERS MEET AFTER 35 YEARS

The Stevens and the Sheppards got together over the weekend for the first time in 35 years.

There were five altogether two Sheppards and three Stevens and they were all brothers
.
Rev. James R. Sheppard, 65, of Presbo, South Dakota, came the farthest. He left Kitchener in 1915 and returned once in 1921 while on his honeymoon.

That was the last time the five brothers were all together.

CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY

This weekend's gathering was the idea of James. He had just celebrated his 65th birthday and his elder brother, August Stevens, 48 Linwood St., was 75. "I thought it a good occasion to meet at least once again," said Rev. Mr. Sheppard.

The other brothers are Charles Herman Stevens, 72, a retired Kitchener postman now living in Toronto; Herman Julius Sheppard, 69, of 139 David St., and Albert R. Stevens, 67, of 292 Grey St., London, Ont.

The five officially met yesterday at Victoria Park. Accompanying them for a picnic were the wives of four of the brothers, sons and daughters and assorted grandchildren and great-grand children.

Counting sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, the brothers figure there are about 82 in the family now.

The brothers are sons of the late Mr. and Mrs. Karl Schippanowski. "You see why we changed our name," said Charles, All except James, the minister, were born in West Prussia, Germany. West Prussia now is part of Poland. The family came from Germany to Kitchener when Albert was just a baby. Why the two different names when the change from Schippanowski was made?

Rev. Mr. Sheppard said when he left Canada to take his first charge in the United States, the family, more or less, had agreed on the Sheppard name. "I told the immigration officials that likely would be my name when I changed it."

RETURNED TO CANADA

However, when he came back to Canada in 1921, he found the brothers had differed and Herman had stuck with the Sheppard name while the other three brothers took Stevens for a name.

"Some though Stevens was closer to the original spelling of our family name, which back in Germany began as Szk...." Rev. Mr. Sheppard said.

August and Herman are retired rubber workers. Albert is employed with a shoe company in London and James is still a Lutheran minister.

When Charles retired as a postman eight years ago, he received shortly afterwards an Imperial Service Medal from the Queen.

DON'T WRITE MUCH

He was showing the medal today to his brothers, who had not known of the honor. The brothers admit they aren't very good at writing each other.

Even though four of them live within a 90-mile radius of Kitchener, they have never been together once in the 35 years. However, several of the brothers have visited individually.

All five brothers are in excellent health. They all are hearty men and have a lively sense of humor.

Comparing families, August reported four children, eight grand-children and three great-grand- children. He is a widower.

Charles has four children and six grandchildren. Herman has five children and six grandchildren. Albert counts six children and 14 grandchildren. James has two bachelor sons.

FOLLOW TRADITION

Three in the family are carrying on the postman tradition. Two are sons-in-law of Albert. One, Clarence, is a son of Herman.

The brothers are quite proud that many of their children served in the army, navy and air force during the Second World War.

Present at the gathering yesterday were Clarence, who was 5 ½ years with the Canadian Army in Italy, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, and Howard of London, who was 3 1/2 years in the Canadian Navy.

The brothers don't intend to make the reunion an annual affair.

"If you like, say there will be another one in 10 years," quipped Charles. "But no undertakers are allowed."

Kitchener Waterloo Record, July 3, 1956


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