Mildred Sheppard

Taylor Funeral Home of Louisville announces the death and funeral services of Mrs. Mildred Jeanette Sheppard, age 90 of Wadley, GA, who died at Jefferson Hospital, Friday, January 13, 2017. 

Funeral services will be held at Wadley Baptist Church on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 2:00 PM with Rev. Gene McCoy, Rev. Tom Harrison and Mr. Gary Hutchins officiating. The family will receive friends at the church prior to the funeral from 12:30 until 2:00. Burial will follow in the Wadley City Cemetery. Pallbearers will be: Steve Bryant, Kevin Hartley, Devin Hanshew, Kyle Hartley, Ben Cooper and Robbie Adams. 

Mildred was born to Oscar Franklin and Essie Hall Smith on March 13, 1926. Born and raised in Bartow, Georgia, Mildred was the eldest daughter of eight brothers and sisters. As a young girl, Mildred helped care for her siblings. Around the age of seven or eight she began to help cook for the family. She was baptized at Old Bethel Baptist Church where she was a member.  Mildred had fond memories of swimming in the baptism pool as a child with her special cousin Essie Clark. Mildred was very studious and also a very good basketball player. She graduated from Bartow High School at the age of 16 and was the Valedictorian of her class. After graduating high school, Mildred went to live with an aunt and uncle in their boarding house on Henry Street in Savannah, Georgia, where she worked at the Savannah Shipyard making Liberty Ships during WWII. Mildred married Claude Anderson Sheppard on June 24, 1950. They raised three children, Emmett, Claudia and Frankie Sheppard. Mildred worked in the garment industry in Swainsboro, Louisville and Wadley, Georgia. She retired from the Wadley Shirt Company in 1998 when she was 72 years old. She loved to travel and go on road trips with her family and friends.  She also loved gospel and country music and with music came a tapping of the toe. She would go dancing every chance she got. She loved any kind of ball game and car racing. You could always hear her rooting for her team. 

Mildred is survived by her beloved family; two brothers, Harvey Smith of Orange Park, FL and Ernie Smith  (Bonnie) of Louisville, GA;  a sister, Frances Dame of Danville, GA; children, Emmett L. Sheppard (Iva) of Aiken, SC,  Claudia J. Beauchamp (Stephen) of Purmela, TX and Frankie Sheppard (Rebecca) of Louisville, GA; grandchildren, Kim Bryant (Steve) of Warrenville, SC, Kristi Hartley (Kevin)  and Karen Hanshew (Devin), both of Aiken, SC, Stephanie Johnson (Nathan) of Flower Mound, TX and Sarah Beauchamp of Killeen, TX, Nicole Sheppard and Hannah Adams (Robbie), both of Louisville, GA,  Ashley Cooper (Ben) of Wadley, GA; brother-in-law's, Frank Thomas of Alamo and Jack Waller of Augusta; sister-in-law, Bonnie Rose Smith of Kite; ten great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews. 

The Sheppard family request memorials be made to Old Bethel Baptist Church, 1275 Old Bethel Church Road, Bartow, Ga. 30413. 

Taylor Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Louisville is in charge of arrangements.

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