Brother James “Jim” Shepard was initiated into the Gamma-Tau Chapter of Kappa Sigma in 1959 and has tirelessly served the chapter over the past 50 years.
As an undergraduate, on a regular NROTC scholarship, Jim was involved on campus, serving in Hammers, a junior honorary that tapped only 30 students for inclusion each year, Spads, and was a cheerleader, egging on the crowd at Buffalo football games. Brother Shepard also dedicated time as an undergraduate to the chapter, serving as Grand Treasurer, House Manager (both perhaps foreshadowing his future involvement), and as “Proprietor of the Health Bar.”
After graduation, Jim served as a carrier pilot in the United States Navy, from 1963 to 1969, where he served in Vietnam. When his time in the service ended, he spent a year working with Continental Airlines. However, when their Denver base of operations closed up, he and his wife, Pam, decided to find another option that would return them to Colorado. He formed Southeast Denver Graphics, which provides pre-press service to 55 various organizations’ newspapers, magazines and other publications.
Jim has also continued to serve Gamma-Tau as an alumnus. He was tapped by Brother Dick Wicks ’42 to help Gamma-Tau out in the early 1970’s, when many fraternities across the nation were experiencing membership issues. He and other alumni helped Gamma-Tau weather the storm and were integral to keeping the fraternity at Boulder.
Brother Shepard remained with the Building Association for more than 20 years, serving as a longtime Treasurer.
Fellow Brothers, Chuck Fetterhoff ’62, Pete Wennermark ’62 and George Marxmiller ’63 remember his service, “Throughout the entire 20 or more years of his tenure, his faithful attendance at meetings and his meticulous attention to the financial matters of the house were of primary importance in Gamma Tau’s continued presence on campus.”
While Jim has remained involved a very big part of Gamma-Tau in the 50 years since he was first initiated into the fraternity, the fraternity has also played a big part of Jim’s life as well. “The majority of my best friends today were made some 50 years ago as a member of Kappa Sigma.”