Reba Louise Patton Shepherd, 90, of Johnson City, passed away Tuesday, October 25, 2016, at Ivy Hall Nursing Home.
A native of Carter County, she was a daughter of the late Frank and Maggie Rowe Patton. Mrs. Shepherd was a direct descendant of Mary Patton. She was a 1943 graduate of Happy Valley High School where she was Valedictorian of the class. She was retired from the cafeteria at Milligan College after 34 years of service.
Mrs. Shepherd was an active member of Powder Branch Baptist Church. She loved to cook and read.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Herman “Curley” Shepherd, who died March 11, 2009, and by three sisters and one brother.
Survivors include her daughters, Carolyn Gentry, Elizabethton, Wanda Pierce, Gray, and Nancy Mathes and husband Willie, Johnson City; three grandchildren, Angela Trent and husband Joey, Gray, Chris Mathes and wife Melissa, Johnson City, and Tim Mathes and wife Robin, Nashville, Tenn.; seven great-grandchildren, Greg, Dustin, Rebecca, Noah, Emma, C.J. and Mia; one great-great-grandson, Liam; one sister-in-law, Wanda Patton; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Reba Louise Patton Shepherd will be conducted at 8 p.m. Friday, October 28, at Memorial Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Gene Cornett officiating. The eulogy will be given by her grandson, Chris Mathes. Graveside services and interment will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 29, in the Patton-Simmons Cemetery with her grandson, Tim Mathes, playing the bagpipes. Music will be by Teresa Sorah. Active pallbearers will be Chris Mathes, Tim Mathes, Joey Trent, Noah Mathes, C.J. Mathes, Greg Trent, Dustin Trent, D.J. Conner, Jeff Patton and Teddy McKeehan. Honorary pallbearers will be Willie Mathes, Arnold Trent and the men of Powder Branch Baptist Church. The family would like to express a special “Thank You” to the special nurses at Sycamore Shoals Hospital and Ivy Hall Nursing Home and Devon Jarrett. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 10:15 a.m. Saturday to go to the cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website at www.memorialfcelizabethton.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Shepherd family.