Roberta F. Shepherd

Roberta F. Shepherd, age 87, of Pomona, KS passed away Friday, July 10, 2020, at AdventHealth Ottawa. Family will meet with friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at Dengel & Son Mortuary. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 15, 2020, at Central Cemetery, rural Pomona. Roberta was born June 28, 1933, at Ottawa, Kansas, the daughter of Robert Allen and Edith Pearl (Griffin) Reed. She was a lifelong rural Pomona resident. She attended Greenwood Grade School and graduated from Pomona High School. Roberta was united in marriage to Cloice Len Shepherd July 1, 1951 at Greenwood Baptist Church, Pomona, Kansas. They were happily married 69 years and had four children. She was employed at Bruce & Thomas Manufacturing Company of Ottawa sewing jeans. Roberta later babysat for many from the 1960’s to 1970’s. She worked at Cedar House Nursing Home and Ottawa Retirement Village, first as a dietary aid and then went to school to become a certified dietary manager. She continued to work at ORV for 20 years. After leaving ORV, Roberta worked with her husband at their automotive repair shop, Shepherd’s Garage, as a bookkeeper and parts runner, until they retired and sold the business in 2006. Roberta was a faithful, lifelong member of Greenwood Baptist Church. She loved her church and church family and was very proud of the fact that her great grandfather started the church in his home and donated the land for the present home of the church. Roberta had many talents and interests. She loved making quilts for her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and many others who called her Grandma Bertie or Aunt Bertie. She volunteered at the Franklin County Visitors Center and the Pomona Food Bank for several years. She loved meeting and visiting with all the people. She was an avid country music fan and took several day trips and group bus trips to Nashville for Fan Fair to meet a lot of her favorite singers. She was a big sports fan watching baseball, basketball, or football. She also loved watching The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune. She was a 4-H leader for Greenwood Rockets for many years and loved working with ‘her’ kids. Roberta welcomed all into her home and no one went away hungry or was a stranger. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Elizabeth Pearl Slankard, and three brothers, Eldon Kenneth Reed, Terry Gene Reed and Donald Joe Reed. Survivors include her husband Cloice of the home; four daughters, Wanda Sue (Dan) Heins of Pomona, Terri Hower of Ottawa, Carolyn Shepherd of Pomona, and Betty Greer also of Pomona; six grandchildren, Danielle (Tyler) Watts, Melissa (Josh) Walker, Corey Hower, Zach Brown, Gene (Kayla) Greer, and Heather (Cody) Hendershot; thirteen great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Greenwood Baptist Church c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, KS 66067.