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Mrs. Murbes Smith Shepherd, of LaGrange, passed away Monday, December 19, 2022.

Mrs. Shepherd was born February 9, 1928, in Atlanta, daughter of the late Arthur Thomas Smith and Mary Helen “Mamie” Smith. A graduate of LaGrange College, she earned a Master of Education degree from Auburn University and served as an educator in the LaGrange School System for 32 years prior to her retirement. She served most of her career at Dunson Elementary, was named LaGrange teacher of the year three times, and was a member of the National Education Association, the Georgia Association of Educators, and had been a member and secretary of the LaGrange Education Association. She was also a member of the Beta Iota Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, an international honorary sorority of outstanding educators.  Mrs. Shepherd was a member of the LaGrange Woman’s Club and the Music Section and was a devoted member of First United Methodist Church of LaGrange, where she had served on the Administrative Board, as a Sunday School teacher, and as a member of the United Methodist Women.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Hoyt Shepherd; sons, Michael Anthony “Mike” Shepherd and Thomas Matthew “Tim” Shepherd; and grandchildren, William Anthony Shepherd and McKenna Shepherd.  Survivors include her grandchildren, Barbie Whitley and her husband Lamar, Bill Shepherd and his wife Christina, Benji Shepherd and his wife Misty, all of LaGrange, Anna Rose Shepherd-Jones and her husband Colby of Opelika, AL, Mary-Helen Shepherd of Atlanta; daughters in-law, Harriet Shepherd Brown and Marsha Shepherd; great-grandchildren, Benji Whitley (Cheyenne), Haley Akin (Alec), Lindsay Shepherd, Autumn Shepherd, Trevor Shepherd, Jayden Shepherd, Jackson Jones; and great-great-grandchildren, Cami Whitley, Lily Gardner, Winnie Shepherd, Ryleigh Jane Akin, Vada Shepherd, Ridge Whitley, Mavrick Akin.

The funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, at First United Methodist Church of LaGrange. Dr. Dane Wagner will officiate and interment will be in Shadowlawn Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the church from 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m., Thursday.

Flowers are appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church of LaGrange.

Condolences may be expressed at www.mckibbenfuneralhome.com 

Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.