Category: Family

Published in the Jacksonville Daily News from 12/14/2007 – 12/17/2007.

Maurice C. Shepard, 91, of Jacksonville, died Dec. 12, 2007, at Pitt Memorial Hospital.

He was a retired civil service microbiologist for the U.S. Navy.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Erika Shepard.

Survivors include his three daughters, Julia Shepard Friant of Jacksonville, and Jean Shepard and Evelyn Shepard, both of New York City, N.Y.; one sister, Miriam Shepard Peterson of St. Paul, Minn.; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 930-B Wellness Drive, Greenville, NC 27834.

Arrangements are by Jones Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

Yesterday, December 12, at 3:30 PM, Dadu passed away. He was surrounded by his loving family to the very end.

He was at Pitt Memorial Hospital where he had been admitted for trouble with his swallowing reflex. The doctors were not able to successfully treat the problem and he grew weak from only being nourished by an IV. He developed congestive heart failure and while they were treating that, he got a pneumonia infection. The doctor realized his chances for survival were falling rapidly and called the family up to the hospital on Tues., December 11.

CDF and I went up Tuesday afternoon and I got to speak to him while he was still able to open his eyes. We were all able to express our love before he became unconscious, and I’m grateful for that. Niddie and Wavy flew down from New York and arrived that evening. Ruth drove up from Mississippi and she and Heidi stayed by Dadu’s side all night.

Dadu’s body will be cremated and we will be having a memorial service at the end of this week or the beginning of the next.

This past weekend was a busy one. I took off Friday to go with CDF and the girls to Havelock where CDF had an appointment to get her eyes checked. Then we found out that Stephanie and Vasco were planning on moving the bulk of their furniture that morning, so I volunteered to help. It ended up that I only needed to help bring it in the house since Vasco had help from work. But I was able to help set up the beds and dressers after the everything was brought in.

Then Saturday Galina had a piano recital for all her students at Covenant Presbyterian in Jacksonville. So we managed to switch tickets for the Christmas play at Scotts HIll Baptist Church from that evening to Sunday afternoon. Galina had about twenty to twenty-five students of all ages and skill levels. They all did a good job and at the very end, Anna Vick sang a solo with Galina accompanying her.

Sunday we went to the 4 o’clock performance of the Christmas play. Galina was going to watch CEF while we took MDF, but when MDF heard who was coming she decided to stay home and play. So just CDF and I went to the play. We enjoyed it, though it was long. It was a mixture of singing, a little acting/storytelling, and some dancing (swing and modern/ballet). I think MDF would have enjoyed the dancers, but it would have been hard for her to sit through the whole thing.

Even though it rained all day Friday we still had a good time at the Museum of Science. CDF took most of the pictures as we walked around the exhibits.

MDF and I in a “Bat Tree”

We started at the top floor and worked our way through the exhibits. MDF liked the dinosaurs the best I think, but we also had fun with the other nature exhibits.

CEF was fascinated with doors

CEF was just happy to wander around and investigate whatever caught her interest — which seemed to be doors most of the time.

Outside the woodlands exhibit

A hallway outside the woodlands exhibit had some wall murals that make a nice backdrop for pictures. The exhibit itself was interesting, with stuffed animals displayed in their habitat. I liked the one with a weasel that had caught a mouse.

Another outside the exhibit

Last week we had our vacation at a resort where Stephanie and Vasco had a timeshare week to spend. The resort was on Ft Macon Road, a little more than half way between Atlantic Beach and Ft. Macon. Our room was at the back of the resort looking out over the dunes to the beach.

Family photo on the beach

There were two pools, indoor and outdoor, and the outdoor one had a big water slide. We spent a lot of time at the outdoor pool (almost every morning after it opened at 10:00). We all enjoyed the water slide. One would ride down in big inflated tubes. MDF only rode in CDF or my lap, except for a couple of times when she borrowed Abigails small floaty ring. The first few times I rode down the slide with MDF I tipped over when we hit the water at the bottom, but eventually I figured it out and we had a great time Tuesday and Wednesday sliding down again and again.

CEF in the shallow end

Down the waterslide

In the afternoons we’d normally walk down the boardwalk to the beach and the girls would play in the surf. Tuesday afternoon we went to the Dairy Queen just across the bridge in Morehead City, then went to the beach after we got back. Wednesday we went shopping, and then walked on the beach after supper.

Two girls in the sand

MDF enjoying the beach

Thursday, our last night, we went to Morehead City again to try to visit the “Waterfront Shopping” area. There wasn’t much too it and so we left quickly and went over to Beaufort. We did some window shopping and stopped in at the General Store where Stephanie and CDF got bottle water and a couple of other things. On the way back we stopped at the Sanitary Fish Market for dinner. When we left there we had to wait for a freight train leaving the port. The engine was black and MDF said it was the bad engine from the book, Little Engine that Could. It was bad because it refused to help “pull the train cars holding toys and fruit for the little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain…” We spotted the little blue engine (the good one) back at the rail yard — it was one of the small diesel switchers, which is very close to what it was in the book.

Fort Macon

CEF in the pool again

Friday morning we packed up and left around 10:00. It had been a great week but we were all ready to get back home and get back to our regular routines.

We went up to Jacksonville this past Saturday. CDF and Stephanie were throwing a retirement party for Carolyn at New River Baptist. We got up there around noon and went by Party Suppliers to pickup some balloons. There was a little mix-up about where to pick up the balloons, first CDF tried Michael’s, but they don’t sell balloons to begin with. So then she tried Party Suppliers two doors down and discovered it was the correct place. Anyway, once we got the balloons to the church, and MDF helped me tie them to the weights around the fellowship hall, MDF, CEF and I went over to my parents to visit while CDF stayed to get everything ready.

We visited and played for a while. CEF did not want me to leave her alone and cried whenever I got out of her sight. After lunch it was better, and she crawled around on the floor and played with Little People while I played HeroQuest with some of the other guys (MDF participated too for a while and played the spiders).

We were almost late getting back to the church. I didn’t count on how long it would take to pack up. But I was right about how long it would take to drive back. So we arrived a minute before 5 o’clock (when the party was supposed to start). Fortunately Roy and Carolyn didn’t get there until 5:30 (which now I think was the plan), so we had time to get settled.

It was a very nice party. A number of people who had worked with Carolyn stood and gave a speech. CDF and her sisters had made more than enough food and plenty of dessert. CDF didn’t like how the cake decoration had turned out. It was supposed to be a beach scene, but she didn’t like the end result. I thought it looked home-made, and didn’t find out until later that it was supposed to be a professional job. It still tasted fine.

We got home about 9:00 and both girls were wiped out. Especially since neither had had naps that afternoon.

I told Dom and Amber this story so I’ll write it here too.

This past Saturday, MDF, CEF, and I went to my parents house to visit. After playing on the swing set in the back yard we came inside. Since it was around 4:00 MDF was feeling snackish. I told her she could ask “Memaw” for a snack — expecting her to offer fruit: an apple or a banana. To my surprise my Mom said, “Sure, would you like to have some brownie? Aunt Heidi baked a delicious one with chocolate chips on the top.”

To put this in perspective my Mom has always discourage eating between meals. “Wasn’t much for snacks to begin with,” as Dom put it. So we were both amused that she is now following the Grandmotherly pattern of “spoiling” the grandchildren.

This morning I was talking with MDF about today being Sunday. It’s the day I stay home, we all go to church, and… “when we watch football with Mama.”

Last week CDF started the season with the girls by gathering on the bed to watch a few of the opening plays of the Sunday night NFL game. MDF enjoyed staying up late (though not too late), and CEF just like being in the middle.

Watching Football

Last week CDF spotted a bike trailer for sale on a Wilmington web site. We have been looking for a trailer since CEF was born, but they tend to be expensive (around $100). But the one for sale was only $10! I told CDF to go ahead and let the lady know we were interested. Unfortunately she didn’t understand what I said, so it wasn’t until that evening that we talked again and she sent a message to the seller. It was still available though, and CDF went to pick it up the next day.

It didn’t take long to get it set up and attached. I tried to put it on my bike, but I have a quick release bolt on my wheels and they don’t work well with the bike trailer bracket. So it’s on CDFs bike.

As soon as we got it attached and set up she tried it going down the driveway and I suddenly realized that the tires were completely flat. So she managed to get it turned around and I grabbed the tire pump. Once the tires were inflated it was a lot easier to pull along behind her bike.

Bike Trailer

We’ve gone out for a ride two or three times so far. Both girls enjoy it a lot. And its really nice to be able to ride around Burgaw again. The other night we took some books back to the library — like we used to — and then rode down S. Wilmington street and followed the “loop” that goes down McNeil street and then back past the Sheriff Dept.

Today I took the day off (actually just the morning since it was a half day) and we went to the Surf City beach.

Enjoying the water

We let CEF sit a crawl around in the water. We stayed right by her, but she managed to get bowled over by a wave twice and went under a moment before we could get her back up. It didn’t faze her though.

Swimming like a fish

MDF did really well swimming around in the shallower part. Low tide pools were startng to form and she took advantage of them.

I went out to swim for a few minutes before we left. As I dove under a wave, CDF told MDF to watch me swim. But the very next wave crashed me and MDF said, “he sank!” They both laughed.

Everyone had a great time, and nobody even got a sunburn!