Carmen Haltiner Shepard
1915-2020
Carmen Haltiner Shepard, age 104, passed away peacefully on February 24, 2020. She was born August 27, 1915 in Logan, Utah to Ernest Haltiner and Emma Hollenweger Haltiner. She is the second oldest of nine children. She was raised in Logan, Utah.
When she was six to eight years old she would glean the wheat fields in her bare feet. At seven she started babysitting to help support the family. She would get up at 5:00 a.m. to pick beans before going to school and then finished picking when she got home for the canning factory. At age twelve she began doing house cleaning. She learned at an early age how to work and worked hard her whole life, and she took time to instill those qualities in her children and grandchildren.
She danced into his heart and married her high school sweetheart, Calvin Olsen Shepard on June 1, 1936 and a year later they were sealed in the Logan Temple.
After losing three premature babies, they had one baby, Cheryl, that lived weighing 2lbs. 4 oz. and years later lost another baby. They loved children and were later given the opportunity to adopt a precious baby girl, Paula. In 1961 they began working with LDS social services and started taking in foster children. Over the next 22 years they took 20 foster teenagers into their home. They had a wonderful experience with these children and grew to love each one of them.
She was an excellent seamstress, a super homemaker and a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She loved gardening and always had a garden and fruit trees and willingly shared the fruits of her labor. She would make over 100 loaves of zucchini bread and give them to family and friends.
She loved to watch Jazz basketball throughout the season. She got a hug from the Jazz bear at a game when she was 103.
She is a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings throughout her life, she especially loved working with the youth in the Blazer scouts.
Her cooking skills were legendary. She started her own catering business, Shepard's Catering, in about 1960. She was known for her lace cookie cups, rolls, chicken meatballs, quiche, stuffed zucchini, chocolate crunch and many more dishes. She worked for the Neighborhood Garden Club, Floral Culture Club, Friendly Ladies, General Authority luncheons and Regional Representatives, Relief Society Reception for 2,200 people for four years, Relief Society Board Luncheons , teas and dinners, Symphony Guild, Ballet Guild, Opera Guild, Junior League, Governor's Mansion (fund raisers, wedding, and dinners) opening of the Cross Roads Mall. She catered many dinners and parties in ward houses and in individual homes. At the age of 78, in 1993, she got her dream and built the Carmelle Reception Center in Holladay and helped with the food until she was 102 years old.
While we will miss her dearly, it brings great comfort and joy knowing that she has returned to the loving arms of her beloved husband, Cal, her Heavenly Father and her savior Jesus Christ.
She is survived by her two daughters, Cheryl (Douglas) Fisher, Paula (Ken) Foster and 10 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
A viewing will be held on Sunday, March 1st, from 6-8 p.m. at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, located at 3401 South Highland Drive. Funeral Services will be held at the Holladay 2nd Ward, 2065 East 4675 South on March 2nd at 12:00 p.m. with a viewing prior to the funeral from 10:30-11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions go to the LDS Missionary Fund.
The family wishes to express their deepest appreciation and gratitude to the staff at Spring Gardens and Bristol Hospice for their tender and loving care.