Funeral services for 64-year-old Burwell Keith Shepherd, Sr., of Hopkinsville, will be at 10:30 AM on Saturday, January 20, at Grace Episcopal Church.
A reception will follow.
Visitation will be from 4-6 PM on Friday, January 19, in the Gaither Room at Grace Episcopal Church.
Dogwood Funerals & Cremations is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include:
His wife of 41 years, Sara Shepherd;
His daughters, Jessica Caudill and her husband Josh, and Jacqueline (Jackie) Shepherd;
His sons, James Shepherd and his wife Caitlin, Benjamin Collins and his wife Alaina;
His sister, Virginia Shepherd Bryant;
His brother, John Shepherd;
And two grandchildren.
He died on Saturday, January 6.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Norma Shepherd and Burwell Keith Shepherd, Sr.
Shepherd deeply loved his family, faith, farm, community, and his wife, and not always in that order.
He graduated from the University of Kentucky School of Forestry and was inducted into XI Sigma Pi, the Forestry Honor Fraternity. With these accomplishments, he set the bar high for his career; not only was he a Master Logger but also a Master Tree Farmer and developed a Certified Tree Farm.
He was incredibly proud of managing the 652-acre family farm, Burdoc Farms, near Crofton into sections harvested on a regular rotation. Environmental stewardship was also essential to Shepherd, and he guided the Upper Tradewater Watershed District as chairman for 35 years.
He encouraged his children to be active in organizations, particularly athletics, and not only be participants but also serve as leaders.
When Sara and their daughters Jessica and Jackie proposed the development of the front acreage of the Crofton farm into Burdoc Farms Wedding and Events, he supported them in this new venture, even overseeing the repurposing of several of the original farm buildings into wedding venues.
He was baptized and confirmed at Grace Episcopal Church. He served on the Vestry and was Junior Warden multiple times. He served on several church committees and sang in the choir.
Shepherd provided volunteer leadership to the Christian County Extension Service, particularly the 4-H program, for 15 years. He began his leadership coaching a tree identification team, which competed at the Mid-South Fair in Memphis, TN, regularly bringing home top honors. He served on the 4-H Council as treasurer, vice president, and president, representing Christian County on the Area 4-H Council.
He served on the Christian County Extension Council and District Board. He served as president of the Extension Council during the construction of the original building of the current Extension Complex.
Shepherd touched the lives of many children and adults through the HHS swim team and his eight-year tenure as Aquatics Director at the YMCA, where he managed the YMCA pool, taught swim lessons and managed the Tie Breaker Park pool and trained lifeguards.
Shepherd was known for his quiet, unassuming leadership; he never lost his composure. He didn’t say much, but when he did, people listened. He was complimented by former 4-H Agent Toni Riley on his Solomon-like wisdom when he had to deal with problems.
In the last few years, Shepherd was where he wanted to be at his home he lovingly called Mount Shepherd, feeding a pair of swans on the lake next to Keith Glen, a four-season wedding venue, and tending a flock of chickens he specifically told Sara not to purchase.
He was a shepherd in the trustiest sense of the word, caring for everyone around him.
Shepherd understood himself and his illness. When discussing his terminal illness with a friend, he said, “You better get things right with God and those you love.”
