Marion John Shepard, Jr. Scholarship Fund

The first of 10 children born to Marion John Shepard, Sr. and Dora Stray Shepard, “Shep” was educated in the Mobile, Alabama school system. He graduated from Central High School, S.D. Bishop Junior College and Alabama State University. He was married to Mattie Marshall Shepard, also a teacher, for 52 years. He was an educator for 33 years at Mary G. Montgomery High School where he taught history. He was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year. He also taught countless at-risk youth for 15 years at James T. Strickland Youth Center. He worked for 51 years as the Youth Sports Coordinator in the City of Mobile’s Parks and Recreation Department. He coached football, was a pitcher for the Mobile Mets baseball team, and also played basketball and softball. “Shep” was a role model to many young people, including his siblings. Both of his parents passed at an early age so he was instrumental in assisting his siblings to navigate life.