SHEPPARD, Jr., Edward
Edward Griffin Sheppard, Jr., 83 years young, late of Decatur, Georgia, departed this life on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 after a brief battle with cancer. Eddie was born on January 16, 1940 to Edward Griffin Sheppard Sr. and Eleanor Purvis Sheppard in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Blessed Sacrament Catholic Elementary School and Benedictine Military Highschool "BC" in Savannah. While at BC, Eddie served as the student lieutenant colonel, the highest-ranking student military officer at the institution. Eddie graduated from BC in June 1958 and married Ella Marie Wright on August 9, 1958.
Eddie attended Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois on an academic scholarship and studied mechanical engineering. He graduated from Northwestern ranked first in his major and had the highest grade point average in the entire engineering school during his senior year. Eddie's Bachelors of Science degree in mechanical engineering was awarded "with distinction."
After graduating from Northwestern, Eddie returned to Georgia and went to work for AT&T. For the next twenty-eight years, he worked in the AT&T/Bellsouth/Southern Bell family of companies in management roles at offices located throughout Georgia. He was instrumental in the design and implementation of the microwave long-distance network created to better serve telephone customers in Georgia and surrounding areas. Eddie retired from Southern Bell in 1990.
While working at Southern Bell, Eddie attended Georgia State University at night and earned a Masters Degree in business administration. During his last few years at Southern Bell, Eddie again attended Georgia State, this time earning a juris doctor law degree. He graduated cum laude from the Georga State School of Law in February 1990. After retiring from his first career, Eddie served his legal clients diligently and honorably, working primarily in estate planning and probate matters. He continued that work until shortly before his death.
Throughout his life, Eddie coached soccer, served faithfully in various roles at the churches he attended (including work with altar servers), regularly donated whole blood and platelets through the American Red Cross, and volunteered to help those who enjoyed fewer of life's benefits. In his later years, Eddie dedicated extensive time and treasure to two causes: Daybreak Day Resource Center, which provides support services and a welcoming refuge for persons in and around Macon, Georgia who are affected by homelessness; and Monroe Reads, a program that provides free books to underserved children in Monroe County, a county just north of Macon, Georgia.
Eddie was predeceased by his father and mother. He is survived by his two younger brothers, Maurice Alan "Mutt" Sheppard (wife, Nancy); and Charles Michael "Mike" Sheppard, and Eddie's four children and their families. They are (1) Edward Griffin Sheppard III, his wife Karen, and their two children, Leah Shepson (husband Ryan) and Joanna Sheppard; (2) William Joseph Sheppard, his wife Kimberly, and their three children, Keller Sheppard (wife Emma), Erin Sheppard, and Coleman Sheppard; (3) Kathleen Sheppard Wallace, her husband Jay, and their two children, Marshall Wallace (wife Elizabeth) and Regan Wallace; and (4) Teresa Sheppard Meyer, her husband Mike, and their three children Lily Meyer, Addison Meyer, and Kelsey Meyer.
A celebration of Eddie's life will be held at The Cathedral of Christ the King, 2699 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30305, on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 10:00 AM. A reception will follow at the church. Eddie's remains will be interred at Bonaventure Cemetery, 303 Bonaventure Road, Savannah, Georgia 31404, on Friday, January 5, 2024 (time TBD). In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Daybreak Day Resource Center. This is a link to the Daybreak website - https://depaulusa.org/programs/macon/.
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