Kay Darnell Sheppard

Kay was born on April 17, 1955, in Denver, Colorado, and overcame early adversity after losing her mother, Dorothy Jean Sheppard, in December 1963. She grew up primarily in Dallas, but lived for two years in Geneva, Switzerland, and briefly in Houston. She excelled academically, graduating from W.T. White High School in 1973 before pursuing higher education at Texas A&M University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1977 and later an MBA specializing in accounting in 1981.

Throughout her career, Kay demonstrated versatility and expertise in various roles, including positions as a tax preparer at FastTax and corporate accountant at Airgas and Assa Abloy. Beyond her professional achievements, Kay was known for her deep love of dogs and her steadfast commitment to supporting vulnerable children through various charitable organizations.

Kay was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Jean Sheppard; her father, Keith Darden Sheppard (died July 2011); her stepmother (died July 2022); and her brothers Steven Lee Sheppard (died August 2001) and Richard August Sheppard (died June 2023). Kay was also preceded in death by her dear friends of 35 years Shirley Goodwin (died June 2021) and William R. “Bud” Johnson (died May 2021).

She is survived by her youngest brother Kevin Keith Sheppard, sister-in-law Karen Ann Croxson, sister-in-law Carissa Sheppard, and nieces Aaryn August Sheppard, Audra Lee Sheppard, and Ada Cordelia Croxson-Sheppard.

A celebration of life will be held Thursday, December 19, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Grove Hill Funeral Home, 3920 Samuell Blvd, Dallas, TX 75228, followed by a graveside service from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM.

In place of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Elevate Texas (https://elevatentx.org) or the Texas SPCA (https://spca.org), reflecting Kay's lifelong commitment to helping both children and animals in need.