Chuck Sheppard

C.E. ?Chuck? Sheppard died June 14, 2005 at his home, with his family by his side. He was born April 15, 1916 in Globe, the son of Arizona pioneer ranchers, Horace (Shep) and Georgia (Young) Sheppard. Chuck was 89 years old. It has been written by many people in ranch\rodeo publications and newspapers that Chuck Sheppard was undoubtedly the best all-around rodeo hand produced in the Cactus State.  Chuck was ?as tough a four-event man as there was?.  He watched his first rodeo in Prescott in 1932, and began riding that fall. He met his future wife Gwen Carter, at a rodeo in Long Valley. Gwen was the daughter of Cort and Stella Carter, Walnut Grove\Yavapai County pioneer cattle ranchers. He was World Champion RCA Team Roper in 1946 and World Champion IRA Calf Roper, 1951. He was a member of the Cowboy Turtle Association, prior to the name change in 1946 to the Rodeo Cowboy?s Association; serving on the board for 10 years. He helped to organize the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association. He designed the first championship saddles for the PRCA. In 1985 he was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma, City, and  in 2001 Chuck was awarded the prestigious Ben Johnson Award. The Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs,  in 2000 inducted Chuck as a top All-Round Cowboy.   Chuck quit competing full time in 1959 to manage the horse and cattle operations at the K-4 Ranch in Prescott, Arizona where he stayed for 42 years. During those years he also trained horses and won many stake races at Prescott Downs. However, team ropers never really retire and in 1998 at the age of 82, he took home $ 7,000 and a saddle at a Prescott roping. Chuck was a man that taught his daughters the value of life; his grandsons how to compete with dignity, and his friends the warmth of his teeth grittin smile. Chuck is survived by his daughters; Stella (Bob) Brown of Chino Valley, and Lynda (John) Kieckhefer of Prescott. Grandchildren; Jairi, Charlie (Trisha), Kelli Vee, Johnny (Kelli) and Rick (Sarah); great grandchildren; Tonya, Shenna, Lyndee, Kevin, Justin, Bo, Victoria and Katie; great great grandchildren Trevor and Gabriel; brother Lynn (Nancy) Sheppard of Globe and Carlotta Everest of Sacramento, California. Chuck was preceded in death by his beloved Gwen, December 14, 1998   A gathering of friends will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, June 19th 2005 at the Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, 303 S. Cortez. A Celebration of ?Chuck?s Life? will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, June  20  in the grandstand at Precott?s Frontier Days Rodeo?s Grounds. 825 Rodeo Dr with a cowboy bar-b-que to follow. Please enter from east by way of Grove Ave. Designated handicap parking will be behind grandstand. Burial will be at 3:00 p.m. at Heritage Memorial Gardens, Fain Rd., Dewey.   The family suggest memorials to the Chuck and Gwen Sheppard Memorial Rodeo Scholarship Fund, % University of Arizona Scholarship Development, 1111 N. Cherry Ave. Tucson , AZ 85721 or  C.E. Chuck Sheppard Memorial Fund, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, 101 Pro Rodeo Dr., Colorado Springs, Co. 80919.