ST. PAUL — Chauncey Elton Shepard, 84, passed away on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village, St. Paul.
Chauncey was the fifth of six children born to Arthur Moses and Eva Mae (Powell) Shepard on March 11, 1940, in rural St. Paul.
Chauncey was a 1958 graduate of McCune High School, where he participated in football, basketball and track. He married Juanita P. Brintnall on Dec. 13, 1958, in Miami, Oklahoma.
Chauncey was a farmer and well-known mechanic and had worked in that capacity all his adult life. Over the years, he farmed in the St. Paul and Independence/ Caney areas. He and his brother, Verlin, operated Valley Gravel in the McCune and St. Paul area until his retirement.
Chauncey was known for his giving and generous spirit. It really did not matter what time of day or night; he was available to help. One of his favorite things to say was, “C’mon. Let’s go.” He loved his family, fishing, tending his pecan trees and being on the Neosho River, where he grew up.
Chauncey served on the Caney Valley USD 436 school board and the Southeast Kansas Vo-Tech board. He served on the Neosho Basin Advisory Committee and was a Neosho Township Fire District volunteer.
He is survived by his former wife, Juanita, of Parsons; daughters, Dana Hart of Independence and Bonnie Houk (Brent) of Girard; a son, Delwin Shepard (Reva) of Caney; grandchildren, Rosa Gonzalez (Angelo) and Levi Hart of Independence, Corbin Shepard of Caney, Caitlin Termini (Andrew) and Cristin Tavernaro (Christian) of Kansas City, Missouri, Logan Houk (Elizabeth) of McCune and Morgan Houk of Lawrence; great-grandchildren, including Otto Hart, Bennett Tavernaro and William Houk; two sisters, Artie Lewis of Baxter, Minnesota, and Carolyn Moore of Humboldt; and many nieces and nephews.
Per his wishes, he has been cremated. A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home of Parsons.
The family suggests memorials to the Bolton Community Friends Church Maintenance Fund. These can be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS, 67357.
Leave online condolences at www.forbeshoffman.com.
