Sheppard, Frederick Orum (1904-1988)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

FREDERICK ORUM SHEPPARD: born in Steatham on 6th March 1904. He served two pre-collegiate years in Margate before entering Hartley Victoria College, Manchester, in 1930. After college he served in Clitheroe, Cheltenham, Farringdon and Rochdale North Circuit. In 1942 he became Chaplain to the Forces serving with the Royal Air Force for nine years. He returned to the Circuit Ministry in 1951 at Bristol Clifton and Redland Circuit followed by Newport Stow Hill, and Devonport. He retired in 1970 returning to Newport to do so. 

On Saturday evening 9th April he had prepared to conduct worship in one of the churches of the Newport Circuit; that done, he went to bed and died peacefully in his sleep. On 16th April he was to celebrate with his wife Phil and their family their 50th Wedding Anniversary. 

As a young man he joined a Methodist Youth Club football team. This brought him into close contact with the Church which led him to a deep faith and a calling to enter the Primitive Methodist ministry. He soon became known as a man’s man because he had the gift of being able to mix socially with men without forgetting that he was a Christian Minister with a priority to proclaim Jesus Christ. The effectiveness of his ministry is measured by the great affection people had for him. 

In retirement he continued to serve faithfully as he conducted worship for all the Free Church denominations. He kept himself fit and gave himself pleasure by playing golf and gardening. At his funeral service a large number of people gathered to pay their last respects to a fine minister. They came from a long distance and from many denominations. He was a loving friend to all who knew him. 

He died on 10th April 1988 in the eighty-fifth year of his age and the fifty-ninth year of his ministry.

Family

Frederick was born on 6 March 1904 at Streatham, London, to parents Tom Sheppard, a provision merchants assistant (1904), and Lucy Mary Orum. He was baptised on 3 April 1904 at St Leonard, Streatham.

He married Phyllis Margaret Harper (1915-1998) in the spring of 1938 in the Walsall Registration District, Staffordshire.

Frederick died on 10 April 1988 at Newport, Monmouthshire.

Circuits

• 1928 Margate
• 1930 Hartley
• 1932 Clitheroe
• 1934 Cheltenham
• 1937 Faringdon
• 1939 Rochdale N
• 1942 Chaplain H.M. Forces
• 1951 Bristol Clifton
• 1954 Newport Stow H
• 1961 Davenport
• 1970 Newport (Sup)

References

Methodist Minutes 1988/49

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers