Mary Jo Sheppard

Mary Jo Sheppard, 90, of Arlington, Texas, went to meet her Lord and Savior on Friday, May 20, 2016.
Mary Jo Sheppard was born on Aug. 19, 1925, in Erath County. She was the third of nine children born to John and Mable Conatser. She attended Lingleville schools and graduated from high school in 1943. She married Rex Garvin Sheppard March 20, 1948, and their only child, Rex Gerald "Jerry" Sheppard was born in June 1949.
Fourteen years after graduating from high school, she started back to school at Arlington State College (now UT Arlington) to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a coach/teacher. She transferred to Texas Christian University and graduated with a BS in physical education with a minor in biology in May 1962. In August of 1962 she was hired by the Mansfield ISD to teach physical education and coach all girls' sports. She spent her entire career with the MISD initiating many programs for female athletes and retired from teaching/coaching in 1979. In 2005 the MISD honored her by opening Mary Jo Sheppard Elementary.
She is survived by her son, Jerry; sister, Betty Ruth Robinson; brother, Jimmy Conatser; many nieces and nephews; and a multitude of former students.
Mary Jo was preceded in death by her husband of 64-plus (November 2012) and six brothers, Marvin, Otis, Ray, Kay, Jack and Bobby Conatser.