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PARKERSBURG — Sheppard’s Auto Service celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.

The business was founded by John Sheppard who became interested in working on cars in high school which led him to an automotive school in St. Louis after he graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1964. He came back to Parkersburg and worked at Hupp-Wharton Cadillac Olds for 10 years.

After considering going into the ministry, Sheppard felt God was guiding him in a different direction which led him to open his own business in 1975 with the help of his friend David Hale, a vice president at United National Bank.

Sheppard passed away Jan. 8, 2024. However, the business remains, marking its 50th anniversary in May.

“(Hale) was really a wonderful man, and he was the one who helped us get started,” said Helen Sheppard, John’s wife. “John always liked working for Wharton, but he wanted his own business.”

They worked with Hale and set up financing. A neighbor agreed to rent them space behind the IGA store on Seventh Street, around where Astorg Ford is now, she said. The address was officially on Homeland Avenue, a dead end street to which they always had to give directions.

“When we started, we had John as the mechanic and me in the office,” Helen said, adding they were soon able to hire another mechanic.

In the beginning, the Sheppards were all at the garage along with their children Angie and Blaine, who would play nearby. Helen originally worked in the office, did the banking, drove people home and back while their cars were worked on and was a parts runner.

As time went on they eventually were able to hire a number of mechanics and someone who could do the office work.

They were at that original location until 1983 when they got financing and had their current location built at 1903 Seventh St.

“That is how we did it, just working and paying those bills every month,” Helen said. “John believed in treating people fairly and being honest with people.

“He did not believe in trying to get people to pay for things they did not need. He always did his best, and he tried to be fair.”

John approached people and their cars like he would approach his own vehicle, his wife said.

“We always did what we thought was right to help people,” she said. “We have had a lot of good people working for us.”

Danny Egbert, has worked at Sheppard’s for over 47 years as a mechanic and now runs the garage.

“A lot of the leadership from John has kept the business going and built the business over the years,” he said. “We try to carry on his legacy.”

Sheppard sold the business to his son Blaine 13 years ago on Oct. 1, 2012, when he semi-retired, but remained a presence at the garage until he passed.

“It was in his blood,” Egbert said. “The key to the success of the business is we have always tried to be honest with people and treat people how we would want to be treated.

“We try our best not to do any unnecessary work. If they need something done, it actually needs done.”

The biggest change over the years has been the cars themselves and the systems they have had to learn to fix and deal with, resulting in the garage having to invest in more expensive equipment and the training to use it, Helen said.

“John was always learning, and he always had to learn something new,” she said, adding they also had other mechanic friends and some of the dealerships who could help them out from time to time if there was something new or unique they encountered.

“He loved cars,” Helen said. “He worked hard.”

Blaine Sheppard said his father would not have been surprised that the garage was still going.

“I think he would have expected it to still be here,” he said.

His father always enjoyed talking with people, which is why he kept going in after he sold the business, Blaine said. The people who worked there were like family to him.

“Relationships were what it was all about for him,” he said. “It was all about the customers. He did not mind talking to people. He enjoyed talking to people.”

In an article that ran in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel on June 7, 2015 to commemorate the business’ 40th anniversary, John Sheppard praised the customers who have continually brought their cars to them to work on and for recommending the garage to other people.

“We have been blessed with so many great customers,” he said. “It has been great. You build relationships with so many people. Some of the customers I have go back 50 years, when I worked at Wharton’s. I have customers that I worked on their cars back in the ’60s. I am definitely working on their grandkids’ cars now.

“It is amazing how God has blessed us with so many customers. They are more than just customers; they are friends.”

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com