Obituary
Guest Book
1919
2015
Shepherd, Charles C., passed away in Tampa on March 17, 2015, of complications from pneumonia, 11 days shy of his 96th birthday. He lived in Hillsborough County for the last 62 years of his life after moving to Tampa in February 1953 to establish one of the first television sales and service shops in town (Shep’s TV in Seminole Heights). He also lived in Temple Terrace (1955-1984), Apollo Beach (1984-2004), and at the John Knox Village Retirement Community (since 2004). He is survived by his two children, Charles C. Shepherd, Jr., age 69, of Tampa, and Gaal Shepherd Crowl, 64, of North Pomfret, Vt. He was married three times, to Ruby Grogan Shepherd, who died in 1999 at age 81(in a marriage that ended in divorce); to Lydia Mumford Shepherd, who died in 2004 at age 85 (following their 35 year marriage); and to Jeannette Gunning Shepherd, who he married in 2006 and who died in 2012 at the age 83. He is also survived by six stepchildren. Three siblings preceded him in death.
Mr. Shepherd was born March 28, 1919, in Adel, Georgia, to Ira Patterson Shepherd and Queenie Jones Shepherd. Following service as a radio repairman and pilots’ radio instructor in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he moved with his family to Starke, Florida, where his father was the Railroad Express agent in charge and where Mr. Shepherd opened a radio and television sales and repair shop. Starke residents received TV signals from Jacksonville, but Mr. Shepherd realized that Tampa-St. Petersburg was still without television and thus moved his family to Tampa to take advantage of the coming debut of the new technology. (When WSUN-TV in St. Petersburg began broadcasting only a test pattern briefly each evening, Mr. Shepherd set up a TV set in the window of his store, and Seminole Heights residents gathered nightly to sit in rapt wonder at the new radio-with-a-picture. Many Tampa residents bought their first –ever television sets from Shep’s TV, and Mr. Shepherd himself install their rooftop antennas.) Mr. Shepherd also distributed self-service TV and radio tube testers to drugstores and other retailers throughout central and northern Florida, and was a distributor of artificial flowers and pet supplies. In the late 1960’s, seeing Florida’s growing population, he and a partner bought prime locations and built convenience stores, which they sold to Kroger Company, and Mr. Shepherd retired in 1975 at age 56. He and Lydia traveled the world constantly and owned, in series, a sailboat and two 40-foot yachts. They were active members of the Apollo Beach Yacht Cub. No services will be held, but the family plans a memorial dinner in Tampa in early May.
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3 Entries
March 27, 2015
Sandy Reed
Shep & Lydia were great neighbors & wonderful friends. We had many good times together & made a lot of memories. There are many stories to tell. Rest in peace Shep. You will be missed.
March 26, 2015
Elaine Weber
Shep and Lydia were wonderful neighbors. Ray and I had many wonderful vacations with them. He will be greatly missed.
March 21, 2015
Doris Ryan
I am so sorry to hear of Shep's passing. I met Shep and Lydia in 1985, when I moved to Apollo Beach and became members of the Apollo Beach Cruisers. He was such a gentleman and good friend, and always had a story to tell. Enjoyed many boat trips with he and Lydia and other friends. He will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Doris Ryan
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