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Surprises aplenty for area grandparents

Jan- 9-2007 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

By JOE GRACE, Northwest Herald

Richard G. Sheppard admits that he has a bad heart, but that didn’t keep him from enjoying a long-awaited surprise.

In fact, the 79-year-old Johnsburg resident had two surprises this week.

The first was when his grandson, 34-year-old Army Spc. Edward Grove, surprised Sheppard and his wife, Kathryn J. Sheppard, on their 60th anniversary Thursday.

“We walked in as they were cutting the cake, and my grandma went nuts,” Grove said. “It was great.”

The second took place Saturday as the Sheppards took Grove to what they believed was a surprise “Welcome Home” party for the soldier at Whispering Hills Community Center in Johnsburg. In fact, it was a party celebrating their 60 years of marriage.

“They thought they were taking me to a surprise party, but I was in on it,” Grove said. “And I knew it was a surprise anniversary party for them.”

For Sheppard, though, he’d rather celebrate the fact that his grandson is back from Iraq.

“I’ve never said so many prayers in all my life,” Sheppard said. “I’m wasted out of prayers.”

Grove was stationed in Iraq from January 2006 to December 2006 with the 172nd Stryker Brigade.

Grove returned to Fort Wainwright in Alaska on Dec. 3. [...]


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