Jean Austin Sheppard

Lilesville - Mrs. Jean Austin Sheppard, 85 of Lilesville, NC, left to be with our Lord on Sunday, December 13, 2015. Funeral services will be 11:00AM Wednesday at Forestville United Methodist Church with Rev. Kaye Fry officiating. Interment will follow at 1:30PM in the Hopewell United Methodist Church Cemetery, Peachland, NC. The family will greet friends at Leavitt Funeral Home on Tuesday from 6:00 to 8:00PM and again on Wednesday immediately following the service at Forestville UMC. Jean was born September 29, 1930, the youngest daughter of Jodie and Lula Sinclair Austin. She grew up in Marshville and graduated from Marshville High School, where she excelled in basketball, Beta Club and band. She married Elgie Gardner Sheppard and moved to Lilesville, NC. Jean worked with Burlington Hosiery and later with Scarborough True Value Hardware in Wadesboro where she loved her employers, co-workers and customers and they loved her! Jean served faithfully as organist, pianist, and choir member at Forestville UMC. Never having had a piano lesson, Jean could play beautifully even as a child and she continued to share this gift with others her entire life. She also enjoyed working on numerous church projects, especially Ingathering and MYF. Jean loved people and never met a stranger. She loved to cook chicken and dumplings and pecan pies for friends and family. She also enjoyed both flower and vegetable gardening which she affectionately referred to as her 'therapy.' Survivors include her daughter, Vickie (Sam) Pesce of Peachland; a son, Norris (Debbie) Sheppard of Peachland; five grandchildren, David Pesce, Kristie McCollum, Trent (Kelly) Sheppard, Tyler Sheppard, and Mirandi (Tyler) Chewning; five great-grandchildren (plus one more on the way!), Brianna McCollum, Genna McCollum, Aiden Sheppard, John Carter Chewning, and Lyla Lee Chewning; many nieces and nephews whose birthday's Jean could uncannily recall; and her beloved miniature poodle, 'Jo-Jo.' Jean was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Elgie Sheppard, who passed away on October 15, 2015 and the family is comforted knowing that 'Granny' and 'Papa' will be spending their first Christmas in heaven together. Jean was also preceded in death by her beloved three brothers, James, J.V. and Max Austin and her three sisters, Ruby Stegall, Nellie Tarlton, and Emma Phifer. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Hopewell UMC, c/o Susie McSwain, 424 Pork Rd., Peachland, NC 28133 or to Forestville UMC, c/o Debra Moss, 133 Forest Rd., Lilesville, NC 28091.