Individual Details

Nellie Shepherd, 91, of Beatrice, died Saturday, May 13, 2017 at the Beatrice Good Samaritan Center. She was born on January 3, 1926 at Sapulpa, OK. She moved to Beatrice in 1943 and graduated from Beatrice High School in 1944. After graduation she moved to Hastings to work in the Ammunition Depot during World War II. After the war she moved back to Beatrice and became a telephone operator with Lincoln Telephone & Telegraph. She trained and transferred to the Fairbury office of LT&T. She met her husband Robert in Fairbury after his return from serving in the U.S. Navy. They were married on March 18, 1946. Nellie was primarily a homemaker spending time raising her family and becoming involved with the PTA, serving as a Brownie Scout leader and grade school room mother. Later she and Bob owned and operated the Salty Dog Saloon in Steele City until 1986. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Beatrice, the Over 55 Club, St. Joseph’s Circle of Friends, and the Steele City VFW Auxiliary. She enjoyed music and in her youth was proficient at playing the trombone and singing. She was often invited to go on stage to sing her favorite songs with the Big Bands touring in her area in the 1940’s. Survivors include her children Rita Shepherd, Paul Shepherd and wife Cindy, and Rachel “Shelly” Nissly and husband Daniel all of Beatrice; four grandchildren, Jeanine Scheele and husband Willie of Lincoln, Cassidy Peterson and husband Kevin of Osceola, Jacob Nissly and fianceé Tracy of San Francisco, CA and Paul J. Shepherd and wife Allison of Parker, CO; five great-grandchildren, Cailey, Caleb, Braylon, Aubrey and Xander; sister-in-law, Betty Vaughn of Fairbury; brothers-in-law, Enoch Shepherd and wife Judy of Beatrice and Timothy Shepherd and wife Donna of Wales, MA; many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in the death by her parents, Marion and Margaret Beasley Cox, her husband, Robert, who died on November 1, 1986, and her brother, Julius Cox.
Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, May 19, 2017 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church with Father Robert Barnhill celebrant.
Inurnment of the cremains will be at 1:30 P.M. on Friday at the Steele City Cemetery.
Cremation has taken place and there will be no viewing. A memorial has been established to the family’s choice. Fox Funeral Home of Beatrice is in charge of the arrangements. www.foxfuneralhome.net. The family would like to sincerely thank the staff and residents of Samaritan Springs for the caring support, the many kindnesses, and for making Nellie’s last years both enjoyable and memorable.

Birth	3 Jan 1926	Sapulpa, Creek County, Oklahoma
Marriage	18 Mar 1946	Robert L. Shepherd
Death	13 May 2017	Beatrice, Gage County, Nebraska

Spouse	Robert L. Shepherd (1925 - 1986)
Child	Living
Child	Living

Father	Marion Cleveland Cox (1885 - )
Mother	Margaret Beasley (1883 - 1942)