Burton Monroe Shepard III

Burton Monroe Shepard, III (Buzz) of Olathe, KS, passed away peacefully on August 7, 2025. He was born on October 22, 1951, in Barre, Vermont, to the late Burton Monroe Shepard. Jr. and Hester (Davis) Shepard.

Buzz is survived by his brother Mark (Jeanne) Shepard, his sister LouAnn (Jim Formanek) Muhm, his mother Hester D. Shepard, and his beloved son, Joshua Scott Shepard. He was preceded in death by his father, Burton M. Shepard, Jr., and his wife, Nancy J. (Williams) Shepard.

Those who knew and loved Buzz will remember him for his ready smile, quick wit, and compassionate heart. He was a wonderful son, brother, husband, and father, as well as a successful business person and community leader.

Most recently, Buzz served as a Vice President and manager of the Central States (KS, NE, MO, MN, ND, SD, and IA) for Fidelity National Financial. He was with the company from 1994 to 2020. He held positions in various companies in the industry for many years before that, including Stewart Title, Safeco Title, and his own title agency for a time.

Buzz was a longtime member of the Missouri Land Title Association, Kansas Land Title Association, and Nebraska Land Title Association. He served on the board of the MLTA from 2001 to 2003 and then again from 2012 to 2014, serving as president from 2013 to 2014. He was named the Title Person of the Year for MLTA in 2009 and was instrumental in the rewrite of the legislation governing title insurance in Missouri in 2007. The MLTA Scholarship for college students was named after Buzz in 2024, as he was instrumental in its inception.

In addition to his career successes, Buzz distinguished himself with a passion for public service and community leadership. He served as President of the Olathe Jaycees and played an instrumental role in establishing a Boy Scout Troop for disabled young men in the Kansas City area, serving as Scoutmaster for many years. This service had a substantial positive impact on the Scouts in Troop 90 and on Scouting in general. For his service to the Heart of America Boy Scout Council, Buzz was awarded the Kansas City Chiefs Community Quarterback Award in 2004, earning a $10,000 grant for the organization. In accepting the award, Buzz said, “Together, we measure success in inches instead of feet, but every time these young men succeed, they become more confident in every aspect of their lives. Helping them has been the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life.”

A memorial service will be Friday, September 19, 2025, at 2 pm at Grace United Methodist Church, 11485 S Ridgeview Rd, Olathe, KS 6606. A reception will immediately follow the service.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations are made to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org), or the Heart of America Boy Scout Council (https://www.hoacbsa.org/).