Cover photo for Arlin Shepard's Obituary
Arlin Shepard Profile Photo
1933 Arlin 2020

Arlin Shepard

October 13, 1933 — June 10, 2020

Hugo

As a result of current restrictions on gatherings, we are providing HeartStrings, our online sympathy message where you can upload a photo and write a note or share a memory that will be printed and given to the family. Please click here to send your support.

Arlin Russell Shepard passed away due to complications from a brain tumor.  He was a wonderful husband and an amazing father.  We describe him as a superhero and we all say we want to live our lives to the fullest, just as he did.

Arlin is survived by his loving wife, Maureen (Hand)(Casey) who he married in 1999, and his five children, three stepchildren and 29 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was born in Valley Township, North Dakota on October 13, 1933 and lived in Washington, Iowa and Minnesota.  He received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State and worked for Sperry/Univac/Unisys for many years before retiring in 1995.  Since he was small boy, he was a devout fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.  He served in the United States Air Force from 1951-1955 as a radio operator stationed in Guam.

After retiring he learned to wakeboard, scuba dive and maintained his lake home until October 2019.  He loved to Paddle in the Canoe Club in Maui every year.  He created beautiful seed-bead jewelry for his family and won many blue ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair.  I'm sure we will all be wearing his jewelry as we celebrate his life for many, many years.

Arlin was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Violet Shepard; stepmother, Iona; brother, Doug; stepbrother, Donald.

He is survived by three other stepsiblings, Jesse, Arthur & Julia.  Arlin was married in 1956 to Gertrude DeJoode and is survived by Teresa (Anthony) Hunter; grandchildren, Jennifer (Joshua), Jessica (Michael) and great-grandchildren, Max, Raphael & Emmitt.

Arlin married Sue Volkamer in 1962.  Sue passed away in 1993.  Arlin is survived by his children, Kathy (Ricky) Powers, Garret, (Deb)  Shepard, Lee Ann (Bill) Shogren, Doug (Melissa) Shepard; grandchildren,   Joe, Sarah (Kris), Adam, Christopher, Jesse, Mandy, Stefanie (Brent), Tyler (Tia), Spencer & Wyatt; great-grandchildren, Tai, Mimi,  Tatten, Dekker, Oliver & Paisley.

He is also survived by his stepchildren, Kathy (Lyle) Archambeau; Kevin Casey (Anna) and Maura (Pete) Coenen; grandchildren, Meghan (Nick) Williams, Brianne, Rachel, Ella, Thomas, Connor and Casey; great-grandchildren, Fiona & Jack.  They all loved Arlin as their own grandfather & great-grandfather.  They knew him affectionately as Arly.

As a testament to our parents, they raised us as one family and supported our relationships as a blended family.  Our parents were the perfect example of putting their children first.  We have and will continue to share and make memories as a family.  He was constantly surrounded by his friends & family through this journey.

The family will greet friends from 12:00 p.m., until 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, June 13, 2020, when an outdoor celebration of his life will begin at Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake, Minnesota.

Interment will follow at Scandinavian Cemetery.  Please consider Fairview Hospice or the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Arlin Shepard, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Saturday, June 13, 2020

12:00 - 1:00 pm (Central time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Celebration of Life

Saturday, June 13, 2020

Starts at 1:00 pm (Central time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Interment

Saturday, June 13, 2020

Starts at 2:30 pm (Central time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Guestbook

Visits: 24

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree