Remembering the "Shep"

Tribute to Don Shepherdson held in his namesake arena

by Sue Nielsen
Speaker Reporter
NEW LISKEARD — You make a living with what you get, but you make a life with what you give. There may not be another more appropriate quote to describe New Liskeard Cubs President Don Shepherdson and the Shepherdson family.
Mr. Shepherdson (known to many as Shep) passed away on Thursday, August 12 at the Temiskaming Hospital at the age of 78.
What a hockey career he had?
Over 50 years of solid, reliable involvement with the New Liskeard Cubs. He’ll always be fondly remembered here in Temiskaming Shores and area for being a key part of developing minor hockey players and for his contributions to the community as a whole.
He was remembered for his role with the Great North Midget League, the New Liskeard Cubs, The Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) and the New Liskeard Golf Club last Friday, August 27 during a memorial service held at the newly named, Don Shepherdson Memorial Arena.
Temiskaming Shores City council moved quickly to approve the renaming of the arena just in time for the memorial service.
Fittingly, he was memorialized on a Friday night, at 8:p.m., the time a Cubs game would have taken place, on the ice surface and in the place that he loved the best -- the arena, now named after him.
Approximately 300 people, many former players for the New Liskeard Cubs, friends, family, politicians and hockey elite from across Northern Ontario came to pay their tribute to the man who had for decades been the driving force behind the Cubs.
Mr. Shepherdson became involved with the New Liskeard Cubs in 1952, eventually filling the roles of coach, general manager and president of the team.
During the memorial service former New Liskeard Parks and Recreation Director Dick Farrow delivered a heartfelt tribute to Mr. Shepherdson that involved his personal take on the man and some very humorous stories of past experiences.
“It’s an honour to be asked to speak. We gather tonight to celebrate the life of Don Shepherdson, this is very special. Shep you gave the community a legacy that will last for a long, long, time. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” said Mr. Farrow.
He said when he first began his job as head of the Parks and Recreation for the former town of New Liskeard, he heard Don Shepherdson was hard to deal with and that the New Liskeard Cubs pretty much ran the arena. But after meeting Mr. Shepherdson and getting to know him, he said he was probably one of the most cooperative users the facility ever had.
He mentioned that Mr. Shepherdson had received many awards over the years because of his hockey involvement, but the one that stands out the most is the Hockey Canada “Award of Merit” that has only ever been awarded to two individuals from Northern Ontario. Mr. Shepherdson being one of them.
“Only two people in the over 100 year history of the NOHA received the award, and he was one of them,” said Mr. Farrow.
Musical tributes of song and a special guitar duo with Mr. Shepherdson’s grandson Collin MacKinnon and Steve Teal was a touching moment during the service, as well as a beautifully written poem by Beth Moore read aloud by Reverend Micol Cottrell.
The very last person to speak was Mr. Shepherdson’s biggest supporter, his wife Ruth.
She told the crowd, “I hope you leave here tonight with many happy thoughts.” She shared some memories of the times she and her husband travelled with the team on the road, of her husband’s love for the game of hockey and of his sometimes very distinct ways of letting people know what he expected of them.
Mrs. Shepherdson thanked the City of Temiskaming Shores for renaming the New Liskeard Recreation Centre to the Don Shepherdson Memorial Arena in time for the memorial service.
“This building is the Don Shepherdson arena and we are truly honoured. We couldn’t have asked for anything more, the people came, the arena was named and it was just so thrilling,” she added.
Afterwards the well wishers were invited to mingle and share stories about Don Shepherdson, the New Liskeard Cubs and have a look at tables filled with memorabilia.
On display were trophies, plaques, newspaper stories, photos, hockey jerseys both past and present, a book about the New Liskeard Cubs, winning pucks, Mr. Shepherdson’s favourite guitar, cowboy boots and Stetson hat etc.
Mrs. Shepherdson and her daughter Sue will continue their volunteer roles with the Temiskaming Shores Minor Hockey Association, and Ruth will be in her special corner of the arena most Friday nights when the Cubs take on their rivals during home games.
With the slightest hesitation in her voice she said, “It won’t be the same though.”