Mary Louise Sheppard Dennis

Sep 29, 1933 - Feb 06, 2016

Mary Louise Sheppard Dennis died on Saturday, February 6, 2016, at Renown Medical Center in Reno, Nevada, following a brief bout with cancer. She was brave to the end and will be missed by family, friends and all those who had the privilege of associating with her. Louise was born on September 29, 1933 in Gridley, California. She moved with her family to a ranch outside Unionville, Nevada, in 1939. She rode a horse to the one-room schoolhouse in Unionville; her days were also spent doing ranch chores, sewing and quilting, and playing with her siblings and pets. Louise married Robert “Bob” Maher in 1949; they spent the majority of their years in Tungsten, Nevada, followed by Lovelock, Nevada. Together they had three children: Kent, Russell, and Kathleen. She and Bob divorced in 1966. She married Tommy Dennis in 1976, and they made their home in Fallon, Nevada. Louise always loved horses and raised Appaloosas, Paints and Pintos. She was an amazing cook, and was well-known for her baking. She loved gardening and had many prize rose bushes. She was also a champion quilter and won many prizes regionally, most recently claiming the blue ribbon for one of her masterpieces at the Churchill County Fair. Perhaps her best “hobby,” however, were her grandchildren. All nine of them were the loves of her life. She never forgot a birthday, an anniversary or a special event. All of her grandchildren can remember many special packages arriving in the mail with a funny cartoon, a cute memento, or just a short note telling them how special they were. Louise was preceded in death by her son Russell Matthew Maher, mother Mary Elizabeth “Bessie” Spratling Sheppard, father Osborne Lionel Sheppard, brother-in-law Zane Evers and sister Peggy Evers, and sister-in-law Doris Sheppard. She is survived by her husband Tommy of Fallon, son Kent (Nicole) of Winnemucca, daughter Kathleen of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and grandchildren Erika (Joe) Lucas, Charles Roberts, Guy (Shanna) Maher, Colin Maher, Dain Maher, Ian Maher, Camryn Maher, Aidan Maher, Renn Maher, and great-granddaughter, Evelyn Faye Lucas. She is also survived by brother T.G. (Elaine) Sheppard, sister Helen (Steve) Wineman, sister Pat (Meade) Allred, and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 13, at The Gardens Funeral Home in Fallon, Nevada, 2949 Austin Highway. Donations may be made to CAPS, the Churchill Animal Protection Society, P.O. Box 5128, Fallon, Nevada, 89407.Mary Louise Sheppard Dennis