NORTH MANCHESTER – Frances Mae Hensley Prater-Shepherd, 66, of Silver Lake, followed her path peacefully to heaven at 1:05 a.m. Jan. 8, 2013, at Center for Hospice Care, South Bend. She was born March 18, 1946, in Greenville, Tenn., to Jimmy and Cora Alice Travis Hensley. She worked at Timbercrest Health Care as a QMA CNA for more than 22 years; para-professional at Madison Elementary School, Warsaw; and an associate at Walmart, Warsaw. She had four children with the late Leonard Prater, a daughter, Angela (and spouse Earl Gene Jr.) Ward, Warsaw; sons: Len Prater (and companion Kathy Guerin), North Manchester; Robert (and spouse Tammy) Prater, Liberty Mills; and Sam (and spouse Sarah) Prater, Warsaw. She was married to Chandler Shepherd for 18 years, which they shared his three children from the late Frances Marshall, two daughters, Ty (and spouse Ed) Kipker, Warsaw, and Tina (and spouse Kevin) Clapp, North Manchester; a son: Terry Shepherd, (and companion Angie Brubaker), North Manchester. She had 17 grandchildren, one grandson due Feb. 4; and seven great-grandchildren; a super special sister, Chris (and spouse Jimmy) Stephens, Wabash; two loving brothers, Frank (and spouse Peg) Hensley, North Manchester, and Jim (and spouse Rebel) Hensley, Huntington; and three very special sisters-in-law in her life: Rose Whitaker, Claypool; Odlie Shepherd, Corunna; and Evelyn McKenzie, Springfield, Ohio. She will always and forever love her caregivers: Earl Gene Ward Jr., Angela Ward, June Dials and Chris Stephens and Sam Prater, for taking 24 hour care of her, and Center for Hospice Care, Plymouth. She would also like to say a special thank you to her nurse aide, Shenna, for always putting a huge smile on her face. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester, with Pastor Terry Bradford officiating. Burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester. Calling is from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. ***** Memorials may be made to Bread of Life Outreach Post Inc., 7846 KY Route 40W, Oil Springs, KY 41238-9130. Condolences may be sent via mckeemortuary.com
