Mrs. Deryl Hodges Sheppard, age 86, of Oconee, Georgia died on August 23, 2020 at Washington County Extended Care Facility, after a lengthy illness. There will be an immediate family only graveside funeral service held at Zeta Cemetery in Tennille. Reverend Tom Howard will officiate.
Mrs. Sheppard was born in Washington County, Georgia on September 29, 1933. She was the daughter of the late Wyman Marshall Hodges and the late Mary McBride Hodges. Mrs. Sheppard is preceded in death by a sister, Sylvia Hodges Bardwell, and a nephew Eric Hodges Bardwell.
Mrs. Sheppard was a faithful member of Antioch Christian Church in Oconee since her childhood. She served her church in many capacities: as a member of the Ladies Council, a Sunday School teacher and as Church Financial Secretary. She was a member of the local chapter of the Alpha Delta Kappa Honorary Organization for Women Educators.
Mrs. Sheppard was a 1950 graduate of Tennille High School and a graduate of Georgia State College for Women, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She taught for almost 35 years in Dekalb, Barrow, Washington, and Johnson Counties, retiring in 1964.
Mrs. Sheppard is survived by her husband, Wayne Session Shepherd; her children, Carla Leigh Sheppard Hutchings and her husband Chris of Sandersville, Marshall Wayne Sheppard and his wife Vicky of Oconee, and Benjamin Thomas Sheppard and his wife Starr of Buckhead; and her grandchildren, Andrew Hutchings and his wife Sara of Sandy Springs, Stephen Hutchings of Milledgeville, Tyler Sheppard of Savannah, and Anna Sheppard of Oconee.
Memorial donations may be made to the Cemetery Fund of the Antioch Christian Church, P.O. Box 40, Oconee, Georgia 31067.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.