Marietta "Mert" Shepherd of Homer Michigan passed away on Feb 21, 2023 at Bronson hospital in Kalamazoo Michigan.

Marietta was born in Tip Top Kentucky, March 4th 1950, to Virginia McKeague and Bill Minix and raised by her mother and father Rebecca and Amos Coburn. She went to Homer Community Schools and soon after high school, she married her high school sweetheart, Freddy Shepherd. They lived in the Homer area all their lives where they raised their two daughters, Lisa and Becky. She worked for Homer Community Schools as a custodian for many years and eventually retiring from Parma Western community schools where she also worked as a custodian.

Mert enjoyed cooking big dinners for her family, where she was often asked to make her famous fried chicken. You could find her in her younger days burning up the dance floor while her husband's band played, and later in life, she never could turn down a dance to "Footloose".

She loved putting the finishing touches on her husbands wood projects, and playing cards with her sister and brother in law, Cathy and Earl Shepherd where the laughs were non stop. She also loved her home and making it beautiful, on the inside and out.

She is survived by her husband, Freddy Shepherd; daughters, Lisa (Dave) Cunkle, Becky (Kelly) Konkle; grandchildren - D.J. (Thalia) Cunkle, Asia (Brent Hall) Konkle, Samantha (Shane) George, Mallori (Alex White) Konkle, Caden Konkle; great-grands - Ava, Max, and  Wilder George, Daniel and Elias Cunkle; special nephew Mike (Katrina) Coburn and special friends Cathy Shepherd and Zelmaglee Tackett;  her loyal and loving pet Clarence, sisters Sue Blair, Dixie Back, Delma Blount, Star Macbeth, Brinda McKeague, Linda Bramble, Carol McKeague and Brothers, Bobby and D.J McKeague. and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her parents; brothers, Earl, Merl, and Burl Coburn, David McKeague and sisters, Betty Blasingim, Dockie Watkins, and Beatrice Calhoun, sister-in-law and close friend Florine Coburn and brother-in-law and close friend Earl Shepherd.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Memorials are asked to go to Homer Caring and Sharing.