John Sheppard

A tragic loss and only today learned of his passing.
I was at St. Mary's when he arrived as a young English teacher and although not directly taught by him, was always aware of his energy and enthusiasm thanks to my involvement with a production of Mr. Ellis, art teacher and contemporary of Mr. Sheppard.
We worked on "A Rose By Any Other Name" throughout the 1979/80 school year, I'm not sure of his role but he was often there coaching the acting students where I devised the lighting and its schedule for the production, transferring that to the Nell Gwynne theatre for a festival presentation.
He was a good man and this is a great loss for all. Rest in peace Mr. Sheppard.

Wonderful man, you never forget teachers like him, they stay with you a life time. Incredibly sad news. Love to all the family xx

The best teacher I have ever had, he taught me for English at St Mary's and did so with such enthusiasm and fun. All of the students respected him and I wouldn't have got the grades I did had it not been for him. RIP.

Very sorry to hear this tragic news. Mr Sheppard (John) joined St. Mary's teaching staff in the late 70's early 80's. He was a new breed of teacher, young and approachable, full of new ideas and new ways of teaching and treating us kids. I was lucky enough to spend a bit of time with him playing cricket and basketball out of school, we even managed a beer or two when I left education. A good bloke who did good things. X

When I was just about to turn 15 we moved to Hereford and I started school at St Mary’s High School in Lugwardine. John Sheppard was my form tutor and, as he walked with me over to my new classroom, he asked me what I was interested in. When I told him that I enjoyed acting and was also interested in writing that was it and from that moment on he became such a force for good in my life. He encouraged me in my interests and the next thing I knew I was in the youth theatre productions (particularly when he set up Mad Dogs theatre company) that he directed in Hereford. I remember being at a rehearsal with him on the night that the Berlin Wall came down. John was positive and energised and he so cared about what we could all do together as young people. I remember seeing him in High Town many years later and I was so pleased to catch up with him. At the end of the drama productions that we would do with John, he would give out postcards of thank;, each one emblazoned with a handwritten note of thanks and encouragement from him. As I write this message, I have one such postcard sitting right behind me on a bookshelf and it has been on that shelf for years, his great energy always close at hand. Thankyou, John.

What a tragic loss. John was one of the good people taken far too soon. His contribution to education in Herefordshire for some 40 years is beyond equal. There will be thousands of folk who passed through his hands at St Mary’s RC School; Kingstone High School and Hereford Academy who today will feel a deep sense of loss. He was first and foremost a teacher and an outstanding one who loved and valued children - all of them. I can offer no greater accolade. I shed tears as I write this. RIP John you will be greatly missed by your nuclear family and your wider education family.