Helen Lukia Kahele Shepard

Helen Lukia Kahele Shepard was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 14,1933 to Joseph E. and Josephine Kahele. She would spend her childhood there experiencing the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 at the age of 8. She would recall how the enemy’s planes were flying so low that she was able to look directly into the pilots faces.

After meeting and marrying a U.S. soldier, she moved to the mainland in 1951, settling in Lawrence, Kansas. She could not speak very much English, but with the help of the family she married into she was able to get her bearings. Her love for the Lord led her to join Ninth Street Missionary Baptist Church. She was employed with Holiday Inn in housekeeping, Hallmark Cards and retired from Lawrence Memorial Hospital with 28 years of service. Some of her most cherished friendships were with her coworkers.

Being the kind hearted person and lover of people (animals too), she became very active in the 1960’s civil rights movement as well as presidential campaigns.

Helen was preceded in death by her father, mother and sister Eliza Lena Chee.

Left to cherish her memory, her son, Harold H. Shepard (Lawrence, KS); grandchildren, Travis (Candice) Shepard (Lawrence, KS), Benji (Joy) Borland (Cleburne, TX), great grandchildren, Natalee, Damien, Austyn, Ryder, Adrian; her fur babies, JoJo and Fatty as well as a host of nieces, nephews family, friends, neighborhood squirrels, rabbits and any other animal that happened to find their way to her.

Memorial services for Helen will be held at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. 2nd Street, Lawrence, KS.

13 Condolences

  1. Bill Shepard on November 8, 2018 at 10:35 am

    I remember when Helen first moved to Lawrence in the early 50’s. There were several of us younger in laws and cousins she took under her arms and showed special attention, making us all feel really special. Then later in life as my wife and I would visit Lawrence, we would spend weekends at her country home playing scrabble, enjoying each others company and having lots of laughs. We will miss Helen as she was a cherished person in our lives.



  2. Kris Marsh on November 9, 2018 at 9:01 am

    Helen took such good care of the nurses when she worked at LMH! She was in charge of completing the birth certificates for the new babies and did a great job with that, too! I enjoyed getting to see her every now and again at the neighborhood Dillon’s. I know she will be greatly missed by family and friends.



  3. Carol Langston on November 9, 2018 at 6:16 pm

    I havd had the pleasure of knowing Helen for many years. I will miss her smile and laugh. She will be greatly missed. Rest in peace.



  4. Cammie Garrison on November 9, 2018 at 10:14 pm

    Sorry for your loss!



  5. Gloria weesie Johnson on November 10, 2018 at 11:49 am

    So many wonderful memories of this beautiful lady, friend, and adopted sister to our family. The fun times as well as the sad times will always be cherished of Helen… sleep on my sister and take your rest, we love you but God love you best .



  6. Diana Brown on November 11, 2018 at 10:04 am

    So many fond memories of Aunt Helen. She was one of my mother’s best friends. Coffee in the morning and cards in the evening. It could get any better than that! I love you Auntie with all my heart. Rest in the arms of Jesus!



  7. Valerie "Vali" Johnson on November 11, 2018 at 11:35 am

    I had the pleasure of knowing this beautiful lady for a very long time. She was so close to my mother(Weesie) and my Aunt Doris I thought of her as one of my aunt’s. We love you.



  8. Rhonda Beardshear on November 11, 2018 at 8:05 pm

    Helen was always so busy with the birth certificates on the Mother-Baby unit, but she would always take a moment to appreciate the babies born there. She especially enjoyed the “fatties”, she said. These were the ones that had the really round cheeks and weighed nine pounds or so!! I miss her smile!!



  9. Steven L. George on November 12, 2018 at 10:46 am

    I am so sorry for your loss. Please accept my deepest condolences.



  10. Linda Tolbert on November 18, 2018 at 9:57 am

    What can I say, this Lady was amazing. I knew her growing up she was part of my family. I didnt see her often but when I did i was glad to see and talk to her. Helen was a good lady. She will be greatly missed.



  11. Jeanie Whiteside on November 19, 2018 at 9:08 am

    It is said that it takes a village to raise a child. I was blessed to have had Aunt Helen as part of my village. There was always a ready hug and a big smile that told me that she truly cared about me. I loved her dearly. RIP Aunt Helen . Thank You !



  12. Mary Barnes on November 23, 2018 at 2:34 pm

    So sorry for your loss. Helen was a dear person. She always had a kind word.



  13. Janet Kissinger on November 27, 2018 at 1:54 pm

    Helen was so funny, she would fuss at us when she got really busy, but she loved everyone she worked with like her own. She did love those babies. She will be greatly missed. Love you Helen.



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