Raymond H. Shepherd, age 79, died Friday, January 31, 2014, at his home in Elkton. Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, February 5, 2014, at Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church in Elkton, with interment and military rites in the church cemetery. Visitations will be from 4-7 P.M. Tuesday at Eidsness-Zink Funeral Chapel in Elkton, with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. Raymond Henry Shepherd was born December 2, 1934, at Gary, South Dakota, to William and Gertrude (Oeffler) Shepherd. He grew up in the Clear Lake area. He spoke a lot about growing up at the Bar X Ranch. While growing up he liked to ride horses and attend rodeos. He spoke about helping build Crystal Springs Rodeo grounds at Clear Lake. Ray received an eighth grade education through the Clear Lake area schools. After school he worked for area farmers and hauled gravel for M.R. David out of Madison, South Dakota. He entered the U.S. Army on March 10, 1959, and served two years active duty in the infantry in Panama during the Panama conflict. He served in the Army Reserve for four years, until March 9, 1965. After his discharge from the Army, Ray really started his trucking career. He hauled livestock for Kruthoff Trucking out of Watertown, South Dakota. On May 20, 1967, Ray married Joan Gramberg. They lived in the Watertown and Hayti area where Ray continued to haul livestock for Kruthoff Trucking and Vern DeBerg Trucking, and then grain for Dakota Seed and Grain. In 1973 the Shepherds relocated to Aurora, South Dakota, where Ray worked for TransPersonnel and Midwest Drivers hauling freight for the 3M Company for 20 years, racking up over two million miles in safe driving awards. In 1977 the Shepherds moved to Elkton where they currently reside. It was here that Ray was baptized and became a member of Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church. After 1993 Ray worked for area farmers, hauled auto parts for Hunke Transfer out of Watertown, worked for Dalsin Roofing in Sioux Falls, hauled plants for Dan and Jerry's Greenhouse out of Madison, hauled grain and silage for custom combining for Kenny Brull out of Pierre, and hauled gravel for Bowes Construction out of Brookings. Ray enjoyed the short time he had with his grandchildren. He enjoyed tinkering and spending quiet time at his property at Ward, and talking on the phone to his brothers. He also enjoyed watching sports, especially NASCAR racing, rodeos, and football. Ray is survived by his wife, Joan, of Elkton; two daughters: Kristi (Jeff) Brunsting of Elkton and Connie (Grant) McGill of Elkton; two grandchildren, Adeline Brunsting and Wesley McGill; four brothers: Donald Shepherd of Florence, South Dakota, William (Frances) Shepherd of Clear Lake, South Dakota, Howard Shepherd of Watertown, South Dakota, and LeRoy (Sue) Shepherd of Merced, California; three sisters: Dorothy Rosheim of Rapid City, South Dakota, Laura Braach of Des Moines, Washington, and Pauline (Robert) Engberg of Chugiak, Alaska; two sisters-in-law: Karen Shepherd of Webster, South Dakota, and Marie Shepherd of Watertown, South Dakota; and many nieces and nephews. Ray was preceded in death by twin granddaughters, Elaine Rose and Carly Fay McGill; parents, William and Gertrude Shepherd; two brothers: Lloyd and Kenneth Shepherd; and two brothers-in-law, Stanley Rosheim and Fred Braach.