The Rev. Durwood “Derby” Shepherd, 79, died at 10:37 a.m. Sept. 17, 2011, in St. Joseph Hospital, Fort Wayne.
He was born Sept. 16, 1932, in Floyd County, Ky., to Lonnie and Savage Shepherd. On Aug. 24, 1951, he married Patricia Denny, who survives.
He operated his own auto body repair business in North Manchester, and was a minister in the Pentecostal Church of God for 42 years. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He was a member of Wabash Chapel Church of God, where he was a Sunday school teacher. He graduated from Sidney High School in 1950.
Also surviving are seven sons: Terry (and spouse Caroline) Shepherd and David Shepherd (and Teri Scott), all of Fort Wayne; Larry (and spouse Bonnie) Shepherd, Perry (and spouse Robin) Shepherd and Ed (and spouse Charlotte) Shepherd, all of North Manchester; Jerry (and spouse Teresa) Shepherd, Lafayette; and Jeff (and spouse Tracey) Shepherd, Orlando, Fla.; two daughters, Kim (and spouse Tim) Lynn, Fort Wayne, and Nikki (and spouse Shawn) Johnson, North Manchester; a sister, Jean Gamble, North Manchester; 25 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Sweetwater Assembly of God Church, North Manchester, with the Rev. Tom Branham officiating. Burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne.
Calling is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the church.
McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, is in charge of arrangements. ***** Memorials may be made to Wabash Chapel Church of God – Mission Projects, 1463 Middle St., Wabash, IN 46992 or Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250.
