Paula Ann (Sweatt) Shepherd

Paula Ann Sweatt Shepherd, 67 years old, of China Grove, went to be with her Lord and Savior on April 27, 2023, at her home surrounded by her family.

Paula was born on March 21, 1956, in Cabarrus County to Leon and Carolyn Goodnight Sweatt.

Paula loved her Lord and serving him on many missions both foreign and domestic.  She loved her grandbabies and her family.  She enjoyed reading, going to the beach, vacationing in Disney, and watching the Atlanta Braves.   She started her career teaching in the Kannapolis City School district.  She then went to work for a short time with Duke Energy at McGuire Nuclear Station in the Technical Training Center.  After she returned to teaching in the Rowan/Salisbury School district in 1989 and retired in 2015.

Paula was predeceased by her father, Leon Sweatt.  Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 38 years, Elmer “Spanky” Shepherd; her daughter, Laura Shepherd; her mother, Carolyn Goodnight Sweatt; her sisters, Kathy Pence and her husband Randy, Debbie Johnson and her husband Michael; her brother, Mark Sweatt and his wife Tracey; and her two grandchildren, Maxwell and Olyvia Brown.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 30, 2023 from 4-5pm at Whitley’s Funeral Home, with a 5pm Celebration of Life Memorial Service in the Whitley’s Funeral Home Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial contributions be made in Paula’s memory to either Operation Walk Carolinas, 1930 Queens Road West, Charlotte, NC 28207 or Samaritan’s Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or www.samaritanspurse.org.