John Patrick George Shepherd passed away peacefully in his home in River Falls on January 8, after suffering a devastating stroke. He was surrounded by the love of family and friends.

John was born in England on May 11, 1937 and grew up in London during World War II. He attended Imperial College in London where he met his wife of 61 years, Beverly Bradford. John earned a PhD in physics and together they traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, where John was a postdoc and eventually assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University. Returning to England after their daughter Sally was born, John worked as a physicist at the Royal Radar Establishment in Malvern, during this time their son Simon was born. They emigrated to the US and settled in River Falls, where John would teach physics and astronomy at the University for the next 30 years. Retiring in 2000, John was recognized for having touched the lives (and ear drums) of many students and for developing the department’s advanced physics laboratory – considered to be one of the best in the nation. His love for astronomy was evident in the trips he organized to view solar eclipses and in the sun dial sculpture that he designed – located on the south face of the Kleinpell Fine Arts building on the UWRF campus.

In addition to his intellect, John was an exceptional athlete. As a young man he earned a first-degree black belt in judo as well as being an enthusiastic rugby player and track sprinter. He was instrumental in starting a youth soccer program in River Falls, volunteering his time as an organizer, coach and referee. In River Falls he was an avid cross country skier and cyclist, skiing the Birkebeiner and Kortelopet many times and completed the MS150 at the age of 81. Notably, he rode 80 miles on his bicycle for his 80th birthday and would often ride his bike to the YMCA in Hudson to workout and then ride home. He thoroughly enjoyed the social aspect of these activities, spending weeks at the Telemark Lodge in the winter skiing with friends and family as well as participating in weekly group rides and hosting gatherings at their home. He was known as “Mr. Fixit” to a lot of his friends and family for his ability to fix (or at least try) almost anything. In recent years, John enjoyed riding his e-bike almost daily with Beverly and friends. John and Beverly had an active social schedule and are grateful for the many dear friends they have made over the years.

John is survived by his loving wife, Beverly, children Sally (Steve Delmont) Shepherd and Simon Shepherd, and grandchildren Alexandria (Brian Amato) Bartlett, Jackson (Jenny) Bartlett, Sidney Pilot and Riley Shepherd. As a good friend said “That booming voice silenced.” Dear friend, father, granddad and husband, you will be missed.

The family would like to thank the teams at Regions Hospital and St. Croix Hospice for their compassion and loving care they gave John. A celebration of John’s life will be held in the spring/summer with more details to follow. Memorials can be made to the scholarship fund for physics majors that is being set up at UWRF in John’s name. Arrangements have been entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of River Falls.