Richard W. Shepeck

Richard W. Shepeck passed away peacefully on August 7, 2024 at home in Shreveport, LA. 

A visitation will be held Tuesday, August 13th at Boone’s Funeral Home in Bossier City at 4:00pm, and burial services on Wednesday, August 14th at 1:30pm at the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Keithville, LA.

He was born July 10,1936 in Menominee, MI to parents Katherine Solper Shepeck and Frank Shepeck. 

Enlisting in the United States Navy in 1955 and later the United States Air Force, Richard jettisoned the snow and cold of Michigan for new horizons. When eventually given a choice of assignment, he chose Barksdale Air Force Base, strictly due to its proximity to the famous Louisiana Hayride – home of the weekly KWKH radio broadcast that in the 1950’s brought the sounds of Hank, Merle, and Johnny from the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium all the way to his family’s farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

He met and married the love of his life, Martha “Jodi” Shepeck, in Bossier City, LA in 1968. Together with their daughters and courtesy of the military, they lived both stateside and abroad for the next decade. 

Before retiring from the military in 1978, Richard was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in 1973 and the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1977. 

Following two decades of honorable military service, he brought his family back to Shreveport, and began a 20+ year career as a truck driver, before retiring completely. 

With their children now grown, Richard and Jodi enjoyed many wonderful years together traveling the world and experiencing the freedom they so richly deserved. 

Richard led his life with the strength and pragmatism of a serviceman, and the love and gentle compassion of a devoted husband and father of daughters. There wasn’t a problem he couldn’t solve, or something broken that he couldn’t fix. He was, in a word, our hero.

Richard is survived by his daughter Shelley Pate and her husband Dwayne, his daughter Amanda Miniutti and her husband Doug, his daughter Virginia Alley, his grandson Joshua Pate and his wife Stormi, his granddaughter Elizabeth Simon and her partner Stephen Ying, his granddaughter Jessica Frye and her husband Hayden, his grandson Jacob Pate and his wife Alyse, his granddaughter Debbie Elliott and her husband Perry, his grandson Robert Nichols and his wife Tina, his granddaughter Katrina Nichols, his son-in-law David Barlow, his grandson Thomas Barlow and his wife Tiffany, his grandson Justin Barlow and his wife Angel; great-grandchildren Hunter, Kinleigh, Teagan, Zayne, Jordan, Colby, Bowen, Emmalyn, Aubrey, Calder, Joshua, Timothy, David, Matthew, Rebecca, and Elizabeth.

Surviving siblings are Sister Deborah Shepeck, Joan Branyan, William Shepeck (Carolyn), Joseph Shepeck (Betty), and Kathy Felch (Jack); as well as many nieces and nephews. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 54 years, Jodi, brothers Walter Shepeck and Roger Shepeck, and daughter Linda Barlow. 

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Richard’s name to the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home.

The family would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the staff of Bristol Hospice Shreveport for their grace and kindness.