Birth Date: 09/30/1924
Deceased Date: 10/27/2017
Buies Creek, NC: Mrs. Eloise Stephenson Gregory Sheppard, died Friday at Harnett Woods Nursing & Rehabilitation in Dunn, NC. Funeral services will be held 3:00 PM Monday at Butler Chapel, Campbell University, 143 Main Street, Buies Creek, NC 27506. Officiating will be Judge Edward Pone. Burial will follow in Lakeside Memorial Gardens in Angier, NC.
Mrs. Sheppard was born September 30, 1924 in Johnston County to the late Zennie Moore and Beulah Young Stephenson. She was also preceded in death by her first husband and father of her children, Kyle Gregory; her second husband, James William Sheppard, brothers, Harold Stephenson, Steve Stephenson and sister, Werneth Ketchum. In 1956 she left the family farm and began working for Campbell University in the canteen where after about a year she was promoted to running the bookstore. As time progressed she became the supervisor of the female janitorial staff and eventually was promoted and began working in the school’s financial department where she learned accounting and became a bookkeeper. After several years she gained employment as the chief bookkeeper for Hailey-Foster Tile Distributors in Raleigh. A few years passed, and she became the head of the financial department for Stephenson’s Music Company in Raleigh. She retired as the chief financial officer for Raleigh Wholesale Florist. She was an independent and strong willed person.
At home in Buies Creek, she was an avid gardener, member of the Buies Creek Garden Club, and also active in other civic organizations. She taught basket-weaving and floral arranging for the County Agricultural Extension Service. She instilled in her children hard work, integrity, loyalty, respect, compassion and insisted that they become successful. Hugh developed a trucking company, was a grower of trees, and a producer of timber in South Carolina. Elaine and husband James developed and continues to operate Basket Tree Florist in Fuquay and Apex. Randy is an attorney in Fayetteville and owner of Gregory Rentals in Buies Creek that Mrs. Sheppard managed for many years. Neal is a doctor of dermatology in New York.
She is survived by her children, Hugh Gregory; Elaine Mills and husband, James; Randy Gregory and wife, Anne; and Neal Gregory and spouse, Brian; grandchildren, Natalie Theodorakis, Jonathan Gregory, Trish and Chris Tilley David Micelli and Marti Hill, Amy Natale, Elizabeth Gregory and Caroline Gregory; great-grandchildren, Alex Theodorakis, Jonathan Gregory, Jr., Hannah Tilley and Matthew Tilley; many nieces and nephews and cousins; sister and brother-in-law, Brenda and Mel Clarke; brother-in-law, Bill Ketchum.
For the last ten years, she resided at Harnett Woods Rehab and Nursing Facility in Dunn. The family wishes to thank her devoted caretakers and friends, Josephine Walden, Sofia Marin and Brenda Strange for their many years of care, love, and devotion.
The family will receive friends from 6:00PM to 8:00PM Sunday at Rose & Graham Funeral Home , 301 W. Main Street, Benson, NC 27504
Flowers are welcomed; however, memorials may be sent to Better Health of Cumberland County, 1422 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28301 or to the Activities Department of Harnett Woods Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 604 Lucas Road, Dunn, NC 28334
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.roseandgraham.com
