Rebecca "Becky" L. Shepard's Obituary
Shepard, Rebecca “Becky” L., age 76, of Kettering, passed away on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton.
Becky was born on May 10, 1949, in Dayton, Ohio, the daughter of the late Loren James Hopkins and Emma “Teense” Hopkins (Underwood). Becky dedicated her life to education, serving as an English and Language Arts teacher for a total of 36 years. She began her teaching career in the Dayton Public School system then moved to the Kettering City School District, where she taught for over 20 years. Education was more than a career for Becky—it was a calling, and she remained deeply connected to learning and service long after her retirement.
Becky was a current and faithful member of Kettering First Baptist Church. She previously attended Far Hills Baptist Church and Belmont United Methodist Church. Her faith was central to her life, and she shared it generously, at times teaching Sunday school and supporting children’s ministries.
Driven by her passion for teaching and a deep community orientation, Becky strongly believed in giving back. She was actively involved with the Kettering Education Foundation, where she was currently serving as Treasurer. She also cherished the long-standing tradition of attending monthly luncheons with her retired teachers’ friend group, maintaining lifelong friendships formed through her teaching career. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma, Pi Chapter, where she was currently serving on the Audit Committee and Webmaster for the organization. Additionally, she was a longtime member of the Jacob Eby Order of the Eastern Star #571.
Those who knew Becky would describe her as kind, generous, inquisitive, faithful, and deeply relationship-driven. She valued strong family bonds and meaningful community connections and lived her life with intention and compassion. She also loved researching genealogy and took great pride in learning about and preserving her family history, particularly the Hopkins, Underwood, and Shepard families. A devoted Cincinnati Reds fan, she rarely missed an opportunity to follow her favorite team.
In her free time, Becky most enjoyed being with her family, especially her grandchildren. Family traditions were especially important to her, and she was well known for making homemade chocolates during the holidays, carefully creating specific candies tailored to each family member’s preferences. Many family memories were made through her time spent vacationing in Florida, particularly the Sarasota and Bradenton areas. Among many things, Becky will be remembered for her lifelong dedication to education, her unwavering faith, and the deep love she held for her family and community.
Becky is survived by her two sons, Scott (Jahn) Shepard and James (Rachael) Shepard, and three grandchildren, all with the same middle name and initials of “EJS”, Emma James, Ellis James, and Elliot James. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Steven Hopkins.
A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Conner & Koch Funeral Home in Bellbrook, with pastor Stephen Hollen officiating. The family will receive friends from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Bellbrook Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions are encouraged to the [Parkinson's Disease Foundation; The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research; and the
Kettering Education Foundation
Online condolences may be expressed at https://www.connerandkoch.com.
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