Obituary of Allen Marsh Shapard

Allen Marsh Shapard died Saturday, October 7, at the Lebanon Health and Rehabilitation Center in Lebanon, Tennessee. He was 82. The son of Joseph Baugh Shapard and Sarah Neely Marsh Shapard, he was born in Shelbyville, Tennessee on October 3, 1935. He moved with his family to Tullahoma at a young age and was a student in the Tullahoma schools before attending Webb School in Bell Buckle. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1957 and took a job with the National Life and Accident Insurance Company. He returned to Tullahoma to work with his father at Shapard Chevrolet before accepting an offer with the International Business Machine (IBM) Company. During his 27 years at IBM he worked in five different states and multiple areas of the company, often travelling abroad where he delighted in introducing his European colleagues to Tennessee whisky, which he felt was as sophisticated as French brandy. After his retirement in 1991 he returned to his native Tennessee.

In 1993 he married the former Lilyane Aubert, who survives him. Together they built a home in Rock Island they dubbed “Notre Ferme.” There he was able to indulge his love of gardening. In 2008 they relocated to Lebanon where he resided at the time of his death. He was a longtime member of the Episcopal Church, serving as a vestryman and singing in the choir. He was a lover of music whose fine tenor voice was featured in several choirs. He cared passionately about family and politics, and was a great talker who loved to discuss a wide array of subjects.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by: his children, David Marlin Shapard and Mara Shapard Elliott (Steven), and grandson Silas Shapard Elliott, all of Delmar, New York; three step-sons, Shane Hudson (Kim) of Cleveland, Ohio, Terry Hudson (Laura) of Phoenix, Arizona, and Stephan Hudson (Michele) of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee and several step-grandchildren; his two sisters, Sarah Shapard Marshall of Tullahoma, and Lucy Shapard Keeney of Raus. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Joseph Baugh Shapard, Jr. He is also survived by three nieces, five nephews, and a host of other family.

A memorial service will be held at St. Barnabas, 110 East Lincoln Street, Saturday at 1 p.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to be made in his memory to Episcopal Relief and Development, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116 or online at www.episcopalrelief.org or Volunteer Equine Advocates, P.O. Box 112, Gallatin, TN 37066. Sellars Funeral Home, Lebanon TN 615.444.9393.