Wanda McKinley Shepherd

Wanda McKinley Shepherd, 95, died September 18, 2018 in Fort Smith. Born March 2, 1923 in Oklahoma City, the ninth of ten children, she married Ray Shepherd in 1942 and moved with him to Oakland, CA. as a war bride. They relocated to his home in Fort Smith at the end of WW II.

As a homemaker Wanda enjoyed sewing especially and eventually even helped in creating costumes for musicals at Westark College, Western Arkansas Ballet, and The Little Theatre. Widowed in 1969, she worked as a secretary at Fort Smith Art Center and fulfilled her lifetime calling to become a nurse at the age of 55. She worked as an L.P.N. at Saint Edward and eventually as a hospice nurse. She finally retired late in her seventies. She and her family were charter members of Westminster Presbyterian Church, and at her death she was a member of First United Methodist Church.

Survivors include Janie and Mike Weber, of Fort Smith, Susan and BrianTroup of Rogers, and Dana and Gary Vickery of Alma. She is also survived by seven grandchildren Peter Weber (Kelsey) of Benton, Kate Weber (Jes Burns) of Medford OR, Marcus Troup of Rogers, Merissa Spicer (Lonny) of Rogers, Alex Vickery (Teresa) of Blue Springs MO, Bill Vickery (Summer) of Greenwood, and Casey Vickery (Donna) of Fort Smith plus fourteen great grandchildren: John Mackey and Mattie Weber, Cassidy and Erin Troup, Christian and Malcolm Carpenter, Mary, Xavier, and Emma Vickery, Max and Raelynn Vickery, and Lindsay, Kelsey, and Gavin Vickery. She loved her entire family with a passion that will be missed by them all. The family is especially thankful to the people at The Village and Mercy Hospice for their gracious, gentle, and loving care.

Services will be held 1:30 Tuesday, September 25 in Roebuck Chapel at First United Methodist Church with a time for visiting with friends and family in the Narthex immediately following. Private inurnment of ashes will be at the Fort Smith National Cemetery, arrangements are under the direction of Fentress Mortuary in Fort Smith.

Memorial gifts may be made to the nursing program at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, PO Box 3649 Ft. Smith, AR 72913 or online at www.giving.uafs.edu, First United Methodist Church, 200 North 15 St. Ft. Smith, AR 72901 or online at www.fsfumc.org or to the organization of the giver’s choice.