Raymond Derrick Shepheard (19 May 1928 - 14 Dec 2016)

Grandad your great granddaughter Fleur is finally here I can just see you holding her now in your chair at the bungalow. Don't worry I know you're watching over her right now she will know all about you as she grows. I hope she lives through your values of helping others selflessly. Love you grandad miss you so much xxx

Merry Christmas Dad, love and miss you so much xx

My Eulogy to grandad,

Grandad was the most amazing man I've known and was the most influential man in my life. He became more than just my grandad he was also my best friend, he was like a dad to me and a councillor and at times teacher too, he could always make me see things clearly and from both points of view even though I knew how stubborn HE could be. We used to have a fun relationship with lots of banter, he would always remember looking after me when I was little and had fond memories he would share with me. Grumps loved singing 'ginger you barmy, you should be in the army' after winding me up which he knew annoyed me more but it would always end with us both laughing and hugging it off.
Everyone knows I'm animal mad and this came from grandad too, when I was young he taught me a lot about all species of wild animals especially birds, he taught me compassion and how to respect all living things. I remember in Crundale he climbed that big fern tree as there was an abandoned nest with eggs still in it. He showed me how to see if they were 'duds' which they were and he let me take the nest to school for all the kids to see which they also loved and we had a lesson on.
But some of my fondest memories of grumps though are on our many dogs walks, we used to walk Sammy along the riverside to the point and back and I would take in all his wisdom and lessons on life, dog behaviour and our surroundings, unfortunately I would also take in a fishermans friend or two he would give me and tell me was good for me!
Without you grandad I wouldn't be who I am today so I want to thank you and though I'm not ready to let you go I am pleased you are no longer in pain and just want to say I will love and miss you everyday until it's my turn to go and I meet you again. Ur Ginge, kerry Xx

My Eulogy to Grandad:

Grandad…where has the time gone…

We have shared so many laughs together and created so many wonderful memories. From all our ventures to the golf club where you would purposely drive fast over the speed bumps on the way back and tell me to hold on to my stomach to keep breakfast down, to getting us both in trouble for YOU poking your tongue out and making funny faces at nan (I would never!). To all the bets we used to make about who had what box on deal or no deal, to feeding the horses peppermints (probably feeding them way too many), to that time where I mistook toothpaste for your fixative glue for your false teeth and my mouth was glued shut! To all the trips to elm court, the many sandwiches we’ve had there and all the seeds you used to buy, to more trips at Hempstead valley where only a hot chocolate from BB’s would do.

But, my favourite memory, because it is one that has accompanied me throughout my entire life and all the ups and downs along with it, is listening to the stories you used to tell me. It is no surprise to anyone when I say I am a total bookworm, a trait that goes right back to when you’d make up stories for me on our walks at riverside with Sammy, about the witches living in the ‘golfball’ building beyond the tide. And then the stories turned into recounting tales from your army days, which I used in a project for year 6 and took a very handsome photo of you in your army uniform into school. It then again turned into conversations about war when I sat my GCSE’s and was studying the topic in the form of poems.

In every book, poem, and with every character that I have come across, you have been there, whether it’s on the tragedy of war where I can hear your tales, or it’s a great love story and my mind thinks of you with nan, you’re there. And as we got older still, we had our stories, they had turned into conversations about life, always shared over copious amounts of tea. This Is what I will miss most, story time with my grandad.

Now in the time that we are apart, I hope you have many more great stories to tell, and I cannot wait to hear them.

It seems only appropriate in my message to you to not end this with a farewell, but
rather with a small extract from one of my favourite novels which sums up our time together quite fittingly.

“You are a part of my existence, you are a part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read.”


Until the next time, Grandad.

- Chloe xxx