Dick Sheppard
When Dick Sheppard was asked why he had been such a
loyal supporter of the Fraser Institute and why he was also including a bequest
in his Will, the answer came quickly – a lifelong belief that we all have the
responsibility to give back. After living through the heavy bombing of London
in the early days of WWII, Dick volunteered for aircrew in order to give back
and was sent to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan for pilot training. By 1946, released
from the Royal Air Force, now married and working on educational/industrial
films, Dick became very concerned at the then ongoing industrial strife in England
and returned to Canada in 1950. By 1970, Dick’s work in the national marketing/media/advertising
agency field led to him starting his own company, Independent Media Analysis
Limited.
Four years later, the Fraser Institute was
established and Dick, feeling an immediate kinship, joined. He’d done well and
by supporting the Institute and a few other charitable organizations, Dick was
once again giving back. Sadly, after 62 years of marriage, Dick lost his
beloved wife Irene in 2008 to Alzheimer’s. Their joint Will had been simple – all
assets were to be shared equally between their three children.
However, after attending the announcement of a generous
gift to the Fraser Institute Foundation, the seed for leaving a legacy of his
own was planted – in support of the Alzheimer Society and the Fraser Institute
– and with his family gathered together, Dick explained why. Knowing the first
would be obvious, Dick pointed out how the Fraser Institute’s activities
benefited his children and grandchildren and would continue to do so when he
was gone.