In his 56 years under the wide central Texas skies, Steven John Shepherd soared with the eagles, paramotoring over the Lampasas River; calmed his spirit in the beauty and the cool, clear waters of Barton Springs; reveled in the joy of the Austin live music scene; and paddled the flowing rivers, kayaking with his family and all manner of friends. He died on December 7, 2020, in a paramotoring accident. He was doing what he loved.

The stories shared about Steve since his death have uplifted us as we grieve and have filled his family's home with laughter. Growing up in Georgetown, son of James and Judy Shepherd, Steve showed from an early age a love for mischief and adventure. In church as a child, he blew up a balloon and released it as the soprano soloist warbled her hymn; at school, his teachers and classmates wondered what scheming lay behind that tilt of his head and the gleam in his bright blue eyes. In one exemplary adventure, Steve went down to the river on his bike and came back with a snake in his water bottle. When asked, "how did you get that in there?" he replied, "I just stuffed it in." Also in quintessential form, 12-year-old Steve was returned home by the police one night after he decided to practice his driving skills in the family Chevy--lights off, of course, so he and his buddy wouldn't get caught. Through it all, James and Judy modeled for him a loving commitment, a steady calm, and a passionate engagement in the world that Steve himself fully integrated and never failed to live out.

At Trinity University in 1984, Steve and his canine companion, Snow, met Steve's beloved life partner, Deborah Faye Erickson. In the light of her presence, and through her boundless loving energy and her willingness to be alongside in any number of adventures, Steven flourished. Together they traveled the world, seeing Europe from the seat of their bikes, trekking through Australia and Southeast Asia, finding incomparable peace on Thailand's Phi Phi Island. After their marriage in 1989, their home was a loving refuge--a beacon that called neighbors, friends, and family to the warm hospitality and abundant grace that together they offered.

Having completed his law degree at St. Mary's in San Antonio, Steve and Debbie relocated to Austin. And here, Hannah Margaret in 1994 (on Valentine's Day) and Erick James in 1996 made Steven's life and joy complete. Fatherhood became him. Hannah and Erick learned from their dad how to become themselves, how to be true to themselves, how to be authentic. One effect of such authenticity: Steve and his family could always be counted on to arrive for gatherings and events on "Shepherd time." Because Steve had to take time to be outdoors (often with his dogs), time to exercise, time to listen to live music--the kind of time that grounded him and fed his soul. He knew what he needed so that he could offer his best self to the world. And he did.

The family moved from Travis Heights in Austin back to Georgetown in 2001. Here, Steve, Debbie, Hannah, and Erick lived out their commitment to family (Steve's parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews all were nearby), and to their community. Almost daily, Steve could be found somewhere on the San Gabriel River--skipping rocks or watching birds with his kids, often riding bikes with Debbie, or walking and jogging with his dogs. As Hannah and Erick grew, Steve's roaring fire in the firepit and Debbie's love-filled kitchen provided warmth and sustenance to many, and their home continued to be a gathering place and refuge, known for being filled with friends from far and wide.

Steve's work and career reflected his values: He practiced law at the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality for most of it. He was known to work collegially and with commitment to balance the interests of those who fell under TCEQ's jurisdiction, even when the values of state leaders did not always mirror his own concern for the natural world. He was one who did not live to work but worked to live. He retired as soon as he could after working for the State of Texas for 26 years, enabling him to spend time doing what he truly loved.

Steve leaves behind his wife, Debbie, and children, Erick and Hannah (and her partner, Matthew Normyle); his dogs, Rasta and Sadie, and granddog Zoey; his parents, James and Judy Shepherd; his brother, Mark Shepherd, and sister, Julia Minzenmayer, and their spouses, Jane and Kerry; nieces Natalie Poulos and McKenzie Milburn; nephews Trevor and Kevin Shepherd and Nick and Kurt Minzenmayer, and their spouses and children. His Erickson family also grieves his death: Harold and Marilyn Erickson; Hal and Yvonne Primanis-Erickson; David Erickson and Nicole Valee; and Dan Guelker and Rebecca Erickson; and nephews Martin, Nicholas, and Thomas and nieces Ava and Lucia.

Steve's gentle, loving spirit, his ability to make us laugh, and his steadfast friendship carry us through our grieving. May all who knew and loved him find solace in the beauty of nature and the love of friends and family.

A post-COVID celebration of his life is being planned for December 7, 2021. In the meantime, all are invited to honor Steve's memory in the way that is most meaningful to them--and to call to mind his kayaking lesson: Go with the river's flow, find its natural path, don't fight it. In other words, "be water, my friend."

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Steve's name to one of the organizations he supported:

Save Our Springs Alliance : https://saveoursprings.salsalabs.org/basicfundraisingformcopy1/index.html

Health Alliance for Austin Musicians : https://www.myhaam.org/donate

Williamson County Animal Shelter : http://pets.wilco.org/Donate-Shop

Central Texas Food Bank : https://www.centraltexasfoodbank.org/

You may share a message or memory in the online memorial guestbook at www.RamseyFuneral.com .