Northborough – Marcella A. Shepherd, 78, was born in Worcester, and was a longtime resident of Carlisle. More recently, she resided in Northborough, where she died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012 from complications of Alzheimer's disease.
She was the beloved wife of Russell B. Shepherd; the loving mother of Maria Lee Shepherd-Preble and her husband David, Anna Lisa Seery and her husband Robert, Russell A. Shepherd and his wife Kimberly; and the devoted grandmother to Greg and Emily Seery, Alex and Erin Shepherd, and Matthew Preble. She was the daughter of William F. O”Brien and Lena (Mutti) O’Brien, and sister to Eleanor Hunt, the late Maria Martin, and Elizabeth DeGrenier.
She was a graduate of Westborough High School in 1952 and Saint Vincent's School of Nursing in 1955. She was a retiree from Middlesex School of Concord, Director of Nursing Services, and a passionate volunteer at the Gleason Public Library, American Red Cross, MCI Concord Outreach, Garden in the Woods. She was an active member of the Unitarian Church of Carlisle, the Bedford Chorale, and the First Religious Society Choir.
She enjoyed the rural lifestyle of Carlisle, and was often seen biking around town, walking the many public trails, and cross country skiing. She was an avid traveler and explorer of many new countries, cultures, and experiences. In recent years, she wintered in Naples Fla.
A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, Dec. 28, at 11 a.m., in the First Religious Society, 27 School St., Carlisle.
To honor Marcella's memory, the family request that you wear purple. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 or http://www.alz.org.
