"Some give a little, some give a lot and Steve Shephard was one who gave a lot," said Tom Heck, a Vietnam veteran and friend of Shephard's family. Heck spoke at a memorial service for the fallen soldier who had a stretch of Interstate 35 dedicated to his memory, Wednesday.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steven Shephard was killed over Tija, Iraq, on June 27, 2005, while piloting an Apache helicopter. During a memorial service and sign dedication at the Lighthouse Worship Center in Purcell, Heck's speech was quieted and the very building trembled when a UH-6 helicopter flew by overhead.
"That's the sound of freedom coming over us right now," Heck said before continuing his talk. He had arranged the fly-by to honor Shephard.
"Steve was a patriot," said Pastor Jeff Pierce. "Had he known the outcome before he left, he'd still have joined to do his duty."
It took time and hard work, but Representatives Lisa Billy, R-Purcell, and Wes Hilliard, D-Sulphur, co-authored and presented a bill to the Oklahoma state House of Representatives to have a section of I-35 north of the McClain County Expo. Center and north of the southern Purcell exit dedicated to the memory of Shephard. The bill passed the house, and Sens. Steve Russell and Johnathan Nichols, both Republicans, introduced it to the Senate where it again passed.
"Usually (it's not permitted) to put (signs) on interstates, but with the help of Senator Steve Russell, we got it done," Billy said. "Russell was the battalion commander who helped take down Saddam Hussein."
Shephard's family approached the podium and Billy presented them with the sign.
A convoy of cars, escorted by police and led by Neil Gross, Oklahoma Patriot Guard, traveled south along Highway 77 through Purcell where passersby covered their hearts as the procession passed on its way to the memorial sign. Shephard travelled this stretch of highway frequently on his way to Westheimer to fly. Family would say, "Steve's on his highway."
Heck said that the sign will mean different things to different people. To family, it will mean: "Remember when..." To children of fallen soldiers, it will mean: "How would my life have been different if my dad had lived?" The compassionate person might wonder, "What happened to the family of this fallen soldier?" Veterans will wonder what their comrade did to receive this honor from his community.
September 9, 2009, was chosen as the dedication date for the memorial highway because it is Sierra Shephard's birthday. Sierra, now 5, never knew her father.
"Everyone who sees the sign should know that freedom is not free," Heck said. "It costs everyone. Some people give a little, some people give a lot."
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