Leah Suzanne Shepard, 59, of Cypress, Texas, passed away Friday June 5 surrounded by her family. Although Leah was born in New Braunfels, Texas to Richard and Patricia Wilkins, she and her brother Michael spent their formative years in Katy, Texas, where they met their best friends. A graduate from Katy High School and Southwest Texas State University, Leah began her career at Big H Auto Auctions. As with her time in Katy, Leah met so many wonderful, supportive, and life-long friends, and continued to love and support them even after her retirement 15 years later. Towards the end of Leah's time at Big H, she met the love of her life, Paul. Together, Paul and Leah built and nurtured the Shepard Family, their greatest accomplishment. Over the course of their 21-year marriage, Leah and Paul actively served the Cypress community. No role was too much for Leah, who was a substitute teacher, a cheer mom, a drill team mom, a baseball mom, a bookkeeper, a caretaker, and, later on, a transition specialist for Caring Transitions.

Leah is preceded in death by her father, Richard Wilkins. She is survived by her loving husband, Paul, her mother, Patricia Wilkins, her brother, Michael (Melissa) Wilkins, and her children, Hayley, Zoe, and Zacharias (Kacey) Shepard.

Known as "Leah who Loves Life" by many, Leah was a righteous woman, a social butterfly, a compassionate servant, and a selfless leader. It is for these reasons that Leah's family has been showered with kind messages, prayers, and warmth from Leah's friends near and far. She will not be forgotten.

Lastly, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that everyone enjoy a margarita at their favorite local Mexican restaurant in Leah's honor—Leah would have had a skinny margarita, no salt on the rim.