It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Johanne Shepherd, née Turpin, of Orleans (originally from Hawkesbury) on October 8, 2026, at the age of 73. She was the daughter of the late Louis A. Turpin and the late Lilianne Boucher and was the beloved spouse of the late Len Shepherd. Johanne will be fondly remembered by her two beloved sons, Jeffrey and Paul (Maxime Brindle), as well as her brother Jean-Marc (Chantal Charbonneau) and her sisters Louise and Martine. She was predeceased by her sister Renée. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Jennie Shepherd (Gaëtan Bélanger), many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and her canine guardian angel, Thomas, who was by her side throughout her illness.
Johanne was grateful to have been surrounded by such wonderful friends in her personal life and throughout her career. Johanne spent 35 years in the Federal Public Service, working for a few departments, most notably at the Office of the Privy Council and the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Family and friends are warmly invited to gather in remembrance on Friday, November 6, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. in the Sacred Space at Beechwood National Memorial Centre (280 Beechwood Avenue). A commemorative ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m., followed by a reception at 12:00 noon. The commemorative ceremony will also be livestreamed.
The Turpin and Shepherd families would like to express their appreciation to Dr. Daniel N. Smith and The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Center program, specifically Dr. Robert МасRae and the Radiotherapy team. Also thank you to the Orleans Palliative Care team, Dr. Daniel A. Vincent, all the nurses of the St. Elizabeth (SE Health), especially Hanna and Veronica, as well as the Champlain Home Care team and the May Court Hospice team.
If you wish to donate to an organization in Johanne’s name, here are organizations that she held close to her heart:
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