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Rosella Shepherd © Locust Grove Funeral Home Submitted by: Sharon
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Rosella Shepherd
April 18, 1934 - October 21, 2025
With heavy hearts, the family of Rosella (Sanders) Shepherd is saddened by the passing of their cherished mother on October 21, 2025 in the peaceful presence of her loving sister, Ida Prescott. She was born in Eucha, Delaware County, Oklahoma, on April 18, 1934, to Joe and Mary Mae (Ballou) Sanders.
Rosella began school at the Ballou School in 1940, finishing the 8th grade at Cave Springs. She had dreams of going to Locust Grove High School to pursue her dreams and play basketball, as she was a great athlete. The family could not afford to send her, needing help with chores at home due to her father being away working on the railroad.
Rosella had a great childhood. The family's work horse, "Brownie", was also her pet and playmate. She would be found always riding him bareback, along side her sister Ida, and her horse "Snip". These precious horses were their bond, enjoyment, and transportation. Many memories were made riding the hills of Locust Grove during their childhood. The two would spend their days riding the woods and running errands up the hill to the Murphy Store to get flour or salt and an occasional 5¢ candy. They spent many days at Spring Creek with Brownie and Snip, swimming with them, using the horses' hind ends as diving boards. They would hold their manes as they floated in the deep waters with their horses. Brownie, Rosella's loving childhood pet, lived to be 30 years old.
Rosella had a tremendous work ethic as she had many talents as a seamstress and go getter. She began working in the drycleaners and was soon running the pressing rooms due to her speedy accuracy. She brought home infantry outfits nightly, making 5¢ a piece to starch and iron them. The extra money was used to take us to get 5 hamburgers for $1.00. The family would go to the park where the kids would race their mother up trees. Rosella taught her kids how to hunt crawdads and swim. She loved life and her kids. She made all of her clothes, custom to fit. She never had any wrinkles in her clothes, always looking like she walked out of a magazine on any given day, even if she was going to the laundry mat.
Rosella loved to bowl with her average staying between 180 to 200. She taught her kids how to look for the arrows and how to spin the ball to pick up a split. She was proud of her Cherokee family, church, and home. She would always sing old gospel songs to her kids at nighttime. Her kids watched her work hard and play hard all of her life.
Rosella later worked at a fabric manufacturing plant designing Bobbie Brooks clothing in the '70s. She also worked on the production of Dave Pelz feather lite golf clubs during the 1980s. Mr. Pelz admired her work ethic and personally had her in charge of the plant quality control in the precise production of these clubs. Having no formal education, she worked next to an aerodynamic engineer during this time.
While living in Texas, she and her husband at the time, Frank Baker, enjoyed dirt track racing together after his retirement from the Air Force. She always entered the Powder Puff demolition races. She had no fear on the race track and would demolish any car to get to the finish line. They enjoyed playing cards and dominoes after the races with the many military friends they made at the race track.
Rosella will be remembered with much love and admiration by her children. What a joyous reunion she is having with her family who have been waiting at heaven's door for her homecoming.
Rosella is survived by: 7 children: Clint Chaudoin of Virginia, Earl Chaudoin of Locust Grove, Oklahoma, Richard "Rick" Flatt of Texas, Mary Jane (Flatt) Nichols of New Braunfels, Texas, Lonnie Jay Flatt and wife Diane of Ovalo, Texas, Jerald Baker and wife Lisa of Skiatook, Oklahoma, and Patricia "Trish" Baker; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom she loved dearly.
She was preceded in death by: her parents; 3 sisters: Avenida Proctor, Emma Watkins, and Nancy Sanders; 1 brother: Earl Sanders; and 1 son: Robert Joe Flatt.
In Lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Ballou Cemetery, All Capitol Bank, P.O. Box 219, Locust Grove, OK 74352
Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M., Monday, November 3, 2025, at the Ballou Baptist Church near Locust Grove, Oklahoma. Reverend Derek Harmon will officiate. Interment will follow at the Ballou Cemetery. Services have been entrusted to Locust Grove Funeral Home.
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