Dr. James Wilson Shepard, 79, of Sherborn MA, died Sunday May 28, 2017 at Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick MA. He was born in Manhattan NY on May 4, 1938, the son of the late Lee and Sylvia Shepard. He loved driving sporty cars, kayaking on the Charles, laying stone terraces and cutting down large trees with his chain saw. Above all, family was the most important part of his life -- his wife of 59 years, his 3 sons, 3 daughters-in-law and 7 grandchildren -- and his second “family”, his many colleagues at Leonard Morse Hospital where he was an otolaryngologist for more than 40 years.

Dr. Shepard was known as a kind, gentle and highly skilled surgeon who always had time to answer a patient’s question or help a colleague. He was particularly close to his practice partner Bud Grenzenberg, and his very special office staff. Dr. Shepard received his BA from Dartmouth College, earned his MD from Boston University and completed his residency in Boston after serving two years as a Navy doctor.

He is survived by his wife, Grace Spoll Shepard; three sons, James of Newton, MA, Andrew of Winchester MA, and Peter of Denver, CO; three daughters-in-law Tamara, Cheryl and Elizabeth; and seven grandchildren, Nicholas, Grace, Sophia, Nathan, Rachel, Margaux and Max.

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