Rowena Delores Shepherd, 89

Rowena Shepherd was born Sept. 13, 1934, in Oklahoma to LD and Edna Guice. Her parents moved the family to Corning, Calif., in 1944, where Rowena, her four brothers and her younger sister grew up and went to school. Rowena met her husband, Heber "Shep" Shepherd of 67 years, there in 1950 and they went on to have five boys. Shep served in the Navy, which took them all over California and Okinawa, Japan, where their youngest son was born.

Eventually, Shep retired from the military and they moved to Idaho in 1978. They bought 10 acres in Rathdrum and built their dream home. Shep had a quadruple heart attack that forced them to sell and move into Coeur d’Alene in 1987.

Rowena worked as a receptionist for a local cardiologist, a dental assistant and volunteered for the Kootenai hospital day care. She was an amazing seamstress, baker and cook and an even better mother and grandmother. She loved her family more than anything and greatly enjoyed all the holidays when her family was all together. She loved animals, camping and the ocean. 

Rowena is preceded in death by both her parents, LD and Edna Guice; her husband, Shep Shepherd; her oldest son, Jim Shepherd; brothers Gene and JD Guice; and her niece, Cindy Moreno. She is survived by her sons, John, Jeff, Jerome and Jerald Shepherd; granddaughters Shannon and Jessica Shepherd; and grandson Matthew Shepherd; sisters Sue Guice and Patsy Walls; brothers Roland and Bill Guice and several nieces and nephews.

Rowena will be missed dearly. Her ashes will be laid to rest next to her husband at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens (7315 Government Way, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815). Please visit Rowena’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.