William (Bill) Lyman Shepherd passed away July 31, 2025, at age of 87 at the Springfield Rehabilitation and Health Center in Springfield, Missouri. A lifetime resident of the Springfield area, Bill was born to Elbert and Lucy (Furman) Shepherd on July 1, 1938.

Bill was married to Virginia Clarene (Ketch) for the last 35 years of his life and lived in Springfield and Joplin. Bill served in the United States Marine Corp reserves and took great pride in being a United States citizen. Bill's life was most notably marked by his love of baseball, both as a player and as a lifelong St. Louis and Springfield Cardinals fan. He played 6 years of professional baseball, the majority of which was with the Cincinnati Reds organization where he started in 1958 and completed his career with the Kansas City Athletics in 1963. Professionally, Bill sold insurance for nearly 20 years before taking ownership of Adult Tendercare Center, a family owned and operated
business, with Clarene, whose parents founded the company.

Bill is preceded in death by both parents and his brother, Al. He is survived by his son Jeff (Christina) Nichols and granddaughter, Sydney Nichols, and niece, Gail Ayers. He is also survived by his wife, Clarene, step-children Beth Reynolds (Kyle) and Stephanie Upton (Brian), and step- grandchildren Christopher (Nikki), Ashleigh (Jessica), Victoria (Jessie), Samuel, Kelsie, and Katie (Jason) and 3 step-great grandchildren.

Bill's ashes will have a permanent place of remembrance at the Rivermonte Memorial
Gardens in Springfield, Missouri.