Wayne Leigh Shepherd

Wayne Leigh Shepherd, 84, of Tiffin, died at 12:50 a.m., Monday, June 8, 2026, at Bridge Hospice Care Center, Findlay.

Wayne was born on September 22, 1941, in Barnesville, Ohio, to Donald W. and Geneva Mary E. (Coleman) Shepherd. As a child, Wayne spent long hours at the family farm in Belmont County, where he developed a lifelong love of the outdoors and of fixing things. As a teenager, he moved to Tiffin when his father became the Superintendent of the Tiffin City Schools in 1954. They moved into a house down the street from Jane Louise Davidson. On December 28, 1962, Wayne married his high school sweetheart, Jane. Wayne and Jane were happily married for 63 years.

Wayne graduated from Tiffin Columbian High School in 1959. He then attended Ohio University, where he studied engineering. He was a member and president of the Ohio University chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1963.

After graduating from college, Wayne moved to Peoria, Illinois, where he worked as an engineer for Caterpillar. Wayne believed deeply in serving his country. In 1966, at the height of the Vietnam War, despite having a draft deferment, Wayne enlisted in the United States Army and started Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. There, he was known as the “old man” of his class by his fellow trainees, many of whom were still teenagers, because he was 25 years old and married. When asked why he enlisted, Wayne would simply reply that he believed that it was the right thing to do.

After completing Basic Training, Wayne attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, graduating first in his class. He was then assigned to duty as a Second Lieutenant with an engineering unit in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1967. There, at the peak of the Cold War, he practiced building and dismantling bridges over the Rhine River. In 1970, Wayne completed his military service as a First Lieutenant.

After returning to the United States, Wayne attended The Ohio State University and earned his Master's of Business Administration. He returned to Tiffin for good in 1976, buying a house on Sycamore Street where he lived with Jane for the next 50 years and raised their family. Wayne added multiple additions to the home and always said he put too much blood and sweat into the home to ever move. The home included a large backyard where children and grandchildren played, and Wayne’s oldest son was married.

Wayne’s greatest love was his family. He had three children and six grandchildren. He also welcomed an exchange student from the Netherlands into the family, who forever after became his “Dutch” daughter. Wayne always made time for his children, attending numerous concerts, plays, sporting events, and academic events. He loved to spend time with his family playing catch in the backyard, playing tennis, boating, fishing, traveling, or simply enjoying a good meal together. He could always be counted on to be there with words of wisdom and support.

Wayne was a skilled engineer and businessman. He completed his working career at Norton Manufacturing in Fostoria, where he played an integral role in the company’s expansion to new customers and markets, before retiring in 2008.

Wayne’s community service was vast and included serving as the Tiffin-Seneca United Way Campaign Chairman in 1978-79; as President of the Tiffin-Seneca United Way in 1982-83; and as President of Junior Achievement of Tiffin in 1982-1983. Wayne was appointed to fill an open seat on the Tiffin Board of Education and was elected to two additional full terms, serving a total of 10 years as a school board member. Wayne again provided educational leadership when he was appointed by Ohio Governor Robert Taft as a Trustee of Terra State Community College from 1999 until 2004.

Wayne was an avid outdoorsman who passed on his love of the outdoors to his children. He loved to fish, hunt, and camp. He owned a boat for many years and spent countless days boating and fishing on Lake Erie and throughout the Great Lakes. He went on hunting and fishing adventures throughout the United States and took a once-in-a-lifetime hunting safari in South Africa.

Wayne loved to travel and took trips with Jane and other family members around the world, and traveled throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand, where they experienced the history, culture, food, and drink everywhere they went. He was also fond of Florida and spent many winters enjoying all the state has to offer. Back home, he loved reading, taking long drives in the country looking for wildlife, and sipping a good IPA or glass of wine.

Survivors include two sons, Matthew (Laura) Shepherd of Avon Lake, Ohio, Andrew (Christy) Shepherd of Park Hills, Kentucky; a daughter, Lesley (Scott) Strohm of Dublin, Ohio; six grandchildren, Cassandra (Emily), Michael, Spencer (Cami), Thomas, George, and Clara; a sister, Gwen Lewis of Findlay, sister-in-law, Anne Comstock, and a former exchange student, Doutzen Abma of Amsterdam, Netherlands.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Joyce Moser.

Visitation for family and friends will be 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Sunday, June 14, 2026, at the TRAUNERO FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY, 214 S. Monroe St., Tiffin, Ohio 44883. (419) 447-3113. A Memorial service will follow at 2 p.m. with Rev. Charlene Thomas officiating. The United Veterans Council of Seneca County will perform military services at the funeral home.

A private burial will take place in Pleasant Union Cemetery, Old Fort.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cure SMA at www.curesma.org or 50 E. Commerce Dr., Suite 90, Schaumburg, IL 60173

For directions, send condolences to the family, order out-of-town flowers, or to view the tribute video, go to www.traunerofuneralhome.com