Edwin Jennings Shapard

Born on June 7, 1940, to Tennybelle (Jennings) Shapard & David Conger Shapard, Eddie was an amazing man with a talent for making and keeping friends, for bringing laughter and fun to any occasion, and for adding just enough spice to make each day a memorable event. His greatest love was for his family. He is survived by Sandy, the love of his life for 43 years; daughters, Nicole (Shapard) Jacobsen and husband Jeff, and Ericka (Shapard) Croft and husband Russell; son, Nathan Jennings Shapard and wife Katy; and his nine grandchildren who hung the moon -- Teddy & Tucker Jacobsen; Cooper, Sumner & Sutton Shapard; Shapard, George, Blake & Tennybelle Croft.

A practicing attorney for 47 years, Eddie was also a restaurateur, business owner, sportsman, little league coach, and certified hypnotist. A master storyteller, he loved spinning tales with friends and doing magic tricks for grandchildren.

Eddie attended Harding High School and graduated from Casady School. He attended Wake Forest University and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.A. degree and the University of Oklahoma Law School with his juris doctorate degree. He was a Beta Theta Pi and a member of Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity. Upon graduation from OU Law School, he joined his father in Shapard & Shapard Law Firm. He was admitted to the Federal Western District Court of Oklahoma, the Federal 9th District Court of Appeals, Los Angeles, and the United States Supreme Court. While his associations and boards were many, including the Oklahoma Bar Association, the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association, the Bachelor's Club of Oklahoma City, and the Bow-Tie Boys Club, his favorite "legal" memory is the kidnapping of the Engineering Queen Candidates with law school buddies in 1964.

In high school, he was a 3-sport letterman and was Little All-City in football, baseball, and 3 times in basketball. He was awarded the Dartmouth Cup at Casady. His love of sports continued throughout his life as he played softball with friends, namely the Atta Boys; tennis with his children and was Doubles Champion of the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club in 1972; and golf with buddies, especially loving the Skunks & Possums annual tournament pitting the East Coast vs. Oklahoma.

While he served on numerous boards and excelled at business, his best days were spent with family and friends. Eddie was truly interested in others, whether it was the friends of his children or a new acquaintance, and they could all feel it. His awards were as diverse as he was: among them were the ODTA Award for Media Excellence for his contributions to Oklahoma Tennis History in 2009; the Walter M. Powell Outstanding Alumni Bachelor's Club Award in 1998; and was named a "cool dad" by Slice Magazine in 2012. He was the master of ceremonies at every family event -- from the huge Thanksgiving football game & Supper Bowl awards banquet to swimming contests in the backyard....all were made to be world-class events by the humorous dialogue of Eddie. He will be missed immensely.

He was predeceased by his parents, David & Tennybelle; and by his older brother David Jr. He is survived, in addition to his wife, children & grandchildren, by his brother Bill (Veda); by his sisters-in-law, Patsy Miller and Edwina Bennett; by nieces Susan Biggs, Elizabeth Fiel (James), Jessica Thuston (Dixon), by nephews David Shapard III (Vicki), Dustin Shapard, John W. Shapard Jr.(Kim), Scott Miller (Katharine), Nick Miller (Billie), Shaun Miller (Stefne); by numerous grandnieces and grandnephews, and many dear friends.

The family will receive guests at Hahn-Cook on Friday, September 28th from 4-6 p.m. Funeral services will be 10 a.m., Saturday, September 29, 2012 at Christ the King Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Edwin J. Shapard Memorial Foundation, in care of P.O. Box 18291, Oklahoma City, OK 73154 or to the charity of one's choice in memory of Eddie.