Joe Steven Sheppard

Joe Steven Sheppard, 76, of Blackduck, Minnesota, died on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at Big Fork Valley Hospital in Bigfork, Minnesota.

Born on July 15, 1949, in Rochester, Minnesota, to Doris and Howard Sheppard, Joe moved with his family shortly after birth to a farm near Bigfork. There he grew up with his sister Teresa, attending Big Fork Schools and graduating in 1967. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in education from college in Bemidji. Joe began his teaching career in Warren in 1971 before accepting a position in Blackduck in 1975. It was there that he met Claire Olson; they married in 1976 and raised three children, Kjell, Matt, and Betsy.

In addition to teaching, Joe held various part-time jobs in the Blackduck area, including at IGA Foods, Hardware Hank, and the Blackduck Telephone Company. He spent many summers painting houses and remained closely connected to the family farm in Bigfork, where he enjoyed hunting and fishing. A devoted father, he supported his children through 4-H, coached their sports, and served as scoreboard operator for Blackduck school games for twenty years. One of his greatest joys in later years was spending time with his granddaughter Ellie at the lake. After 38 years in education, most of them teaching sixth grade, Joe retired in 2009.

He will be remembered for his gentle nature, his love of pranks and jokes, and his consistent willingness to help others. Joe is survived by his wife of 49 years, Claire; his children, Kjell (Chad) Eken of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, Matt Sheppard of Bigfork, Minnesota, and Betsy Sheppard of Munich, North Dakota; his granddaughter, Eleanor Eken; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Doris and Howard Sheppard, and his sister, Teresa Carlson.