Floyd Shepherd

He Floyd (Danny) Daniel Shepherd, 74 years old, passed away in his home in Grand Junction, Colorado September 14, 2015 due to lengthy illness. Danny was born February 10th, 1941 to Floyd & Kathleen Shepherd in Montrose, Colorado in their home. Danny was the oldest of six children, the family moved to Grand Junction in 1951 where Danny spent his childhood and into adulthood. He attended Grand Junction High School and later earned his GED in 1972. Growing up the oldest in his family he always made to watch over is siblings and was always taking them with him to movies and other activities. He made sure they were looked after and taken care of, but he still managed to pick on them and sometimes even torture them. One day Danny was snapping his sister Dolly with a towel and she retaliated by picking up a butcher knife and throwing it at him, lucky for him he closed the door just in time for the knife to stick in the door. Danny had his ornery side as well. When he was boy he was play Cowboys and Indians with his sister Sharon and her cat, he had a trial for the cat and the cat was found guilty. The cat was sentenced to death by hanging, I don’t remember if the cat was rescued or not. Danny Married Betty Jo Cantril March 9th 1963, in Fruita, Colorado. They lived in Climax, Colorado where Danny worked in the mines during first part of the marriage. They had their first child Ricky Lee Shepherd in Fruita, Colorado November 22nd 1964. When Danny started to work for Cable the company the family moved from state to state. They had their second child Ronda Jo Shepherd (Ruenger) in Grand Forks, North Dakota February 2nd, 1970. They later moved back to Aurora, Colorado and eventually ended back in Grand Junction. Any one that knew Danny knows he was an avid Marine. He was your “Ooh Rah” and “Semper Fi” and full service Marine with drill marching songs and stories to match. Danny service in the US Marine Corp June 26, 1958 to June 25, 1964 he was Lance Corporal (E-4) 4 years active duty and 2 years reserve. He serviced his Country in Vietnam Good Conduct Medal Jul 28 1960. Honorable Discharge 29 Palms San Diego CA Platoon 153 9th Marine Corp Danny worked primary in construction, maintenance, electronics. Danny worked construction on the Rifle gap Dame and Glenwood tunnels. He would tell you the story almost every time you passed them. Danny was one of the Cable installers for the first cable TV in Grand Junction in Nov 1966. He was also the first camera man for the first Juco Baseball being televised. When Danny worked for Cable TV he had to move the family a lot. So the family lived in Kansas, North Dakota, Oklahoma and then back to Colorado leaving in many different places from Aurora to Delta. Danny was a gun and shooting enthusiast, he loved hunting, fishing, camping and all outdoor activities. He also enjoyed woodworking and had made many items for his family and showed his grandson Nathen how to make stuff as well. loved spending time with Grandchildren and teaching them how to hunt, fish and shoot guns and gun safety teaching from his own experience. He enjoyed going boating and fishing at Trickle Park on the Grand Mesa for the last 10 years or more. Danny loved to practice quick draw and was inspired one night after watching a western movie to practice. So he got his 22 pistols out thinking it was unloaded and was practicing his quick draw and shot the living room wall. Betty removed the bullet and it hangs from the gun rack as reminder to not play quick draw with a loaded guns. One year up hunting at Rifle Gap on the Hogbacks Danny was driving his 2 wheel drive pickup truck and there was a group of guys in 4 wheel drive pickup trucks trying to get up a muddy hill and couldn’t. So Danny took this as a challenge and drove his pickup truck up the hill clear to the top while the guys at the bottom couldn’t believe that he made it. They still were never able to make it up the hill. Danny never turned down a challenge and there were many challenges that came up in his life. Danny is survived by his wife Betty; a son Rick (Tania), of Grand Junction; a daughter Ronda Ruenger (Casey) of Washington, IA; a brother Rodney of Grand junction; three sisters, Dolly Oberding and Donna Hunt, both of Grand Junction, and Sharon Weimer of Rio Rancho, New Mexico; five grandchildren, Shanna Shepherd, Jacob Ruenger, Nathan Shepherd, Sarah Ruenger and Addie Shepherd; two great-grandchildren, Kaelyn Wullner and Kayla Wullner. He was predeceased by granddaughter Sherrena Ruenger, youngest brother Terry Shepherd and his beloved dog Reggie. No service will be planned at this time. Family will plan to spread Danny’s ashes at Trickle Park where he spent the last 10 years of his life fishing and boating. Memorial contributions can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka ks 66675; or to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.