April Dawn Shepherd, an Agra resident, passed away on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 in her home at the age of 27 years.

April was born on March 19, 1985 in Phoenix, Arizona to Andrew Shepherd and Paulette McGhee Shepherd.

She was placed at the Bethany Children's Home in Bethany, Oklahoma in June of 1985 and lived there until May of 1993 when Jerry and Nancy Durbin came to visit at the request of a case manager with DDSD/DHS. Jerry and Nancy were wanting another special needs child to be a sister to a young girl already in their home.

She was cared for and loved in this home for 18 years, until she moved to Stillwater Group Home in 2009 due to the age and health issues of Jerry and Nancy.

April enjoyed people, her music, lots of loud noise and activity around her, and she attended church whenever possible.

She graduated from Cushing High School with the class of 2003, attended her prom with a young man and danced in her wheel chair.

She participated at the Special Olympics and joined into all of the activities that were open to her.

April was well traveled with her sister, Destiny "Desie", and their foster parents, going as far as Florida, Texas, Illinois, and Louisiana, also spending vacation time at Greenleaf State Park every year.

She went to sleep with a beautiful smile and woke up with the same smile just about every day.

Her foster parents and foster sister loved her very much and as their own child and sister. She will be missed very much by her family, many friends, and her various caregivers.

April is now a bright star in heaven and God's perfect child.

Funeral services have been entrusted to the care of the Palmer Marler Funeral Home in Cushing and will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 31, 2012 in the First Assembly of God, Tryon, Oklahoma with Pastor Lorn Starling officiating.

Burial will follow in the Tryon Cemetery, Tryon, Oklahoma.

Condolences and an online guestbook are available at www.PalmerMarlerFH.com.