Leola Lyla Pope Shepherd

Leola Lyla Pope Shepherd, age 87 of Kingston went to her reward above on Monday May 13, 2013. Leola was born in Haxtun, Colorado on March 27, 1926 to parents Lyle James Pope and Marion Gilbert Pope. Many of her early years were spent on a small ranch, sans water and electricity near Lyons, Colorado. A favorite childhood pastime was riding horseback, alone or with friends, through the foothills and Rocky Mountains nearby. She attended a one room elementary school in Lyons and High School in Longmont, Colorado. During WWII, she relocated briefly, with her parents to Glendale, California, returning to Colorado in 1944 to attend the University of Denver on scholarship, She graduated from DU in 1948 with degrees in Psychology and Education. At DU she also met her husband Donald Shepherd. They married after her graduation in August 1948. She started her career teaching elementary education in the Denver Public Schools. The newlywed couple developed a lifelong affinity for Square dancing, hiking, travel and back road driving adventures. In February 1954, the couple moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where there first son, Scott Lyle Shepherd was born 3 months later. After eight years, they adopted their second son, Sean Philip Shepherd and nine months later adopted their daughter Vay Anne Shepherd Davis. When her children were old enough, Leola began substitute teaching at the First United Methodist Church Nursery School, something she came to enjoy so much that she took a permanent position and taught for 14 years. During this time Leola and Don pursued several other activities such as playing bridge, ballroom dancing, boating and water skiing, various church activities and home entertaining. Always active, Leola was often heard to say she hoped to leave this earth on the dance floor, or on the end of a ski rope. In anticipation of retiring, Leola and Don moved from Oak Ridge to the shores of Watts Bar Lake near Kingston. While maintaining close relationships with long time friends in Oak Ridge, they were blessed with development of new friends and activities, particularly through their connections with Luminary United Methodist Church in Ten Mile, TN. An only child, Leola was preceded in death by her parents Lyle and Marion Pope. She is survived by: her husband Donald Shepherd; Son Scott Shepherd and wife Debbie Elam Shepherd, their daughters Angela Shepherd and Danielle Shepherd Gallaher, son-in-law Nick Gallaher and great grandchildren Kaylie and Jason Gallaher; Son Sean Shepherd and wife Sandy Ervin Shepherd; Daughter Vay Anne Shepherd Davis and grandson Trey Davis. The family will receive friends from 2:30pm until 4pm on Saturday May 25th followed by a celebratory memorial service at Luminary United Methodist Church, 3401 River Road, Ten Mile, TN 37880. Interment will follow at the adjacent Luminary Cemetery. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that any memorials be made to Luminary United Methodist Church or to the Roane or Anderson County Chapters of the American Cancer Society.

Leola Lyla Pope Shepherd

March 27, 1926 - May 14, 2013