Ronald Lee Shepard was born July 21, 1938, in Bryan County, Oklahoma, to Clyde Jr. and Sarah (Simpson) Shepard and passed away on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Clinton, Oklahoma, at the age of 86.

Ronald was born on the family farm in Bryan County, Oklahoma, near the town of Roberta. After high school, he attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma. From an early age, Ronald was fascinated by watching planes fly and in 1956 he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served for 22 years, becoming a fighter pilot, being Honorably discharged in 1978. Ronald married Mary Kay Marsh in 1957. In 1960, they welcomed their son, Steven. He later married Mary Ann Weigand on October 11th, 1969, in Las Vegas, Nevada. To this union, his son, Tom was born. He was able to finish college in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Nebraska.

In 1958, Ronald attended the Aviation Cadet Program at the age of 19 years old. This was a program specifically for enlisted soldiers to attend pilot training. His first assignment was flying F-100's at Cannon AFB with the 522nd Tactical Fighter Squadron. At the age of 20, he deployed to Turkey to sit on "nuclear alert" while waiting to fly into Russia with a nuclear bomb. In 1962, he attended the US Army Airborne School and Forward Air Controller School. He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division while waiting to parachute into Cuba during the missile crisis. Ronald deployed to Vietnam in 1963 with the South Vietnamese Rangers in the war zone, as a forward air controller during the advisory period of the war. He was deployed again in 1965, flying F-100's out of Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. He provided close air support for the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley. In 1967, he attended Fighter Weapons School and graduated as Top Gun from his class. Ronald also attended and graduated from USAF Wild Weasel Program the same year. He was deployed a third time in 1968, with the 44th Tac Fighter Squadron to Korat, Thailand, conducting the suppression of enemy air defenses and bombing raids over North Vietnam. The missions were so dangerous that a deployment was not based on time but instead was considered finished when one completed 100 missions over North Vietnam.

After his 3rd tour, he came back and was an instructor in the F-4 Phantom and later was assigned to AFHQ Europe. His last assignment was as a pilot and squadron tactics officer in the newly established F-15A squadrons at Langley AFB Virginia. He retired from the USAF in 1978.

After his discharge from the Air Force, he returned to Southeastern Oklahoma State University where he received a master's degree in accounting. He then worked for the Oklahoma State Auditor's Office for 18 years, which eventually transferred him to Weatherford in 1983, retiring in 1997. After retiring, he started working as a crop adjustor. Ronald enjoyed golfing, hiking, snow skiing, being outdoors, and driving fast in his Corvettes.

Ronald was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Jr. and Sarah Shepard and his sister, Linda Kay McDonough.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Shepard, of the home; sons, Tom Shepard of Weatherford and Steven (Tonya) Shepard of Burleson, TX; brother, Tom (Darlene) Shepard; three grandchildren, Jade Shepard, Tyler (Andrea) Shepard, and Spencer (Courtney) Shepard; five great-grandchildren, Gavin, Becket, McKenna, Cami, and Jackson; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Weatherford American Legion.