Sandra Lynn Shepherd

Sandra Lynn Ervin Shepherd, age 57, went to heaven at 11:59 am on Tuesday June 20, 2017 surrounded by the love of her family. She was born to Curtis Ervin and Bonnie Crumpton in Bessemer AL on November 25, 1959. Sandy married Sean Shepherd at the Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove, Great Smokey Mountains National Park on August 20, 2006. She is survived by her father, husband; son Chris Ervin, his wife Amanda, and grandchildren Camren and Andi; son Jeremy Ervin; son Johnathan Ervin and grandchildren Kamden and Kambry; son Ross Ervin; brothers, Curtis and Jay; sister, Debbie; and many nieces and nephews. Mother Bonnie and sister Rhonda preceded her in death.

Sandy had many fond memories from living in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, South Africa and Italy. She loved nature and the outdoors. Her fondest Louisiana memories include being the cook on a ship in the gulf, crabbing and fishing, camping on the beach, nature watching, and working in her gardens. She loved New Orleans, and the festivals and culture of Louisiana. She liked going to see the Astros, the zoo, concerts at Miller Park, and attending the ACTS Theater in Lake Charles. She enjoyed meeting people, and exploring beautiful and historical places.

Sandy loved traveling. She had great adventures living in Europe and Southern Africa. She many times traveled the length and breadth of South Africa, from the Limpopo River to Cape Agulhas, from Springbok to Kosi Bay, and every point in between. She helped pull nets during a big sardine run, and watched whales breaching in Hermanus. Sandy camped many times in Botswana, especially the Makgadikgadi Pans, Kalahari Desert, Okavango Delta and Chobe parks. She saw Victoria Falls on two trips, once from each side. She had a great adventure across the Caprivi Strip, through Etosha, to Terrace Bay on the Skeleton Coast of Namibia. She took a grand driving tour of Europe, and made three trips to her favorite city, Paris. She spent New Year ’s Eve vacationing on a houseboat directly under the Eiffel tower. Sandy enjoyed exploring Rome, Florence, and Pompey often; but her favorite place of all was the Kruger National Park of South Africa. She spent many score days there, immersed in the wonder of elephants and every amazing detail of the African bush.

Despite Sandy’s many fantastic adventures, her grandchildren were the greatest joys of her life. She loved them very much. Taken far too early, she is greatly missed. Sandy will be cremated and eventually laid to rest under a beautiful tree on Ervin land in Sulphur. The service will be a celebration of her life attended by family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org), an organization which she supported during life.