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Carole Sheppard, former president of the Bay Area Friends of the Fine Arts (BAFFA) in Sayville and a dedicated community volunteer, died on Friday, Aug. 2. She was 87.
An elementary school teacher in Sachem schools for over thirty years, Sheppard devoted much of her spare time time to her love for the arts. As BAFFA president, she played a key role in organizing local art shows, BAFFA Orchestra concerts, and the BAFFA Choir, for which she sung in the alto section.
Additionally, the longtime Bayport resident donated her time to the Sayville Village Improvement Society, volunteered at the local food pantry and was an active member of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Sayville. A skilled dog handler, Sheppard in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s showed her Chesapeake Bay retriever across the country, earning enough points to be invited to the Westminster Dog Show.
Sheppard is survived by her husband, Robert; their daughter, Jennifer MacLean and her husband Raymond of Sayville; and her granddaughter, Kendall Grace.
An avid sailor, Sheppard shared many adventures with her husband, according to her obituary. They were active members of the Sayville Yacht Club, the South Bay Cruising Club, and Sabre Club. Sheppard and her husband and daughter enjoyed annual summer voyages along the New England coast.
Their sea adventures included winters spent aboard the couple’s beloved Bristol 41, “Arcadia,” at Diner Key Marina in Coconut Grove, Florida.
Sheppard was born and raised in West Boylston, Massachusetts, graduating from Major Edwards High School at just 16 years old. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Wheelock College in Boston, and later obtained a master’s from Long Island University.
After retiring from education in 1991, Sheppard embarked on a successful second career as a licensed real estate salesperson until her retirement in 2015.
Services for Sheppard will be held on Friday, Aug. 9, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Raynor & D’Andrea Funeral Home, 683 Montauk Highway in Bayport. A church service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, 257 Middle Road in Sayville.
